, Author at Durrants Estate Agents

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A spanner in the works

Dominic Parravani of Durrants highlights a potential spanner in the works within any property negotiation.

Sticking to principle in a property deal is all very well, but there comes a time when principle can become more about scoring points than reaching a fair compromise.

Ask any estate agent who’s been in the job for some years, and they will unhappily recount stories of property negotiations jeopardised by one party or the other risking the deal over misguided principle.

Surprisingly, often the most frustrating risks are not negotiating the price of bricks and mortar but carpets, curtains and other belongings. Estate agents frequently spend far longer negotiating the prices of items such as these than the price of the property that may be worth millions.

Perhaps this is because most people, unlike estate agents, aren’t used to dealing with amounts in their hundreds of thousands or more, and the cost of curtains is easier to haggle over. Sadly, the haggling sometimes ends up becoming a point of principle between buyers and sellers and therefore disproportionately pivotal in the negotiation.

We always advise buyers and sellers to avoid getting hung up over items in a property sale. These items can sometimes sweeten a deal for sellers, and they can be helpful for buyers, but both parties should keep their eyes on the main prize.

A property sale or purchase is fundamental to the whole project, which is to move. It would be most unfortunate if an otherwise acceptable deal were to fail over the cost of a second-hand refrigerator.

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Spot the difference

Dominic Parravani of Durrants compares a new BBC TV series on estate agency with real life.

The BBC will broadcast a new reality show called Crazy Rich Agents on BBC2 at 9pm, Sunday 6^th August. The series is designed to focus on high-end estate agency in the UK.

The producers aim to showcase a more American way of selling and buying properties – a high pressure, high energy and high risk way. But the first thing viewers of the series should bear in mind is that sales commission in the USA is about 6%. So, in addition to high pressure, energy and risk one should add high cost.

Another fundamental point that the producers of Crazy Rich Agents might have overlooked is that you cannot ‘pressure sell’ property in the UK.

You can’t persuade a buyer to say yes and then get them to sign on the dotted line. For one thing, it is currently taking between 16 and 20 weeks to exchange contracts – giving buyers all the time in the world to change their minds and pull out with no penalty and no loss of deposit.

Perhaps when the property market is on fire there is an urgency to get things done quickly. But in a market which has recently been doused by a large bucket of cold water through interest rate and cost of living rises, most savvy buyers know they have the upper hand and the pressure is off.

UK estate agency doesn’t work on the will of the agent, but the often opposing desires of buyers and sellers: the agents’ job is to negotiate compromise to achieve a mutually agreeable end. Another worry is that the producers and agents of the new series may overlook the most important attribute of any estate agent – discretion.

Ask NatWest’s ex-chief executive, Alison Rose, how a momentary lack of discretion worked out for her.

Crazy Rich Agents won’t lift the lid on how things are done in the UK. For that we invite you to visit us in any of our five branches, where you won’t meet apparently inexperienced negotiators with a habit of using inappropriate language while looking for the main chance and grabbing 15 minutes of fame.

Instead you’ll find sensible, agreeable, friendly people with your best interests at heart. As likely as not they will also be born and bred in the area, so they have a huge amount to give in experience and local knowledge. Nor do our team treat properties as commodities but as people’s much loved and valuable homes.

That is the difference between a reality show and real life.

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Introducing Ella Forman

Durrants are thrilled to welcome Commercial Surveyor Ella Forman to our team, working across all aspects of commercial property from valuations and management to landlord and tenant enquiries.

Ella has worked in commercial property since gaining her degree in Rural Land Management from the Royal Agricultural University.

She says: “I am keen to maintain and build relationships with our existing landlord clients as well as new ones, as there are a lot of areas where we can help – particularly with regard to forthcoming changes to EPC regulations. We’re here to advise on ways to achieve greater energy efficiency without spending a fortune.”

Ella has already met a number of our existing clients and is always keen to hear from anyone who is looking for advice on property management or options regarding development or change of use.

“The beauty of working with Durrants is that we offer the whole package from start to finish. We have a lot of clients who overlap a number of traditional sectors, whether that’s residential, commercial, agricultural or building consultancy.

“We’re able to bring in specialists from within Durrants who can offer expert advice on things like converting commercial to residential or selling land to build new homes and all the associated planning.”

For further information, please get in touch with Ella at our Diss office on 01379 851038.

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Government consults on permitted development rights

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has recently announced a consultation which could see major expansions to permitted development rights, particularly for residential conversions. If adopted, the proposed changes will be the biggest shake-up of the GPDO since 2015, and would introduce more opportunities for converting buildings to residential use as well as for farm diversification.

The consultation is the first stage of a long process to become legislation, and runs until 25^thSeptember 23. Durrants plans to make representations to the consultation, mostly in support of the proposed changes.

We have summarised the changes that could create the biggest opportunities for our clients below.

Enhanced opportunities under Class Q

Class Q is a powerful means of converting redundant agricultural buildings to dwellings, and remains one of the most popular planning instructions at Durrants. In its current form, Class Q allows for the creation of up to 5 dwellings of a cumulative maximum of 865sqm, achieved through combining ‘smaller’ dwellings (100sqm and below) with ‘larger’ dwellings (over 100 sqm).

The consultation proposes to double the overall maximum number of dwellings to 10, with a maximum area of 1,000 square metres. The separation of ‘larger’ and ‘smaller’ dwellings is proposed to be replaced with a single maximum of either 100 or 150sqm per home.

It is also proposed that the current requirement for a building to have last been solely in agricultural use will be removed, allowing buildings which have been used for other purposes, such as storage, to be afforded Class Q rights. This would be a very positive change, as many landowners are currently able to neither use or convert redundant buildings because of the strict rules around their historic use.

A surprising proposed addition to the Class Q legislation is the introduction of extensions to the rear elevation of the barn. Currently, only the building itself can be converted, with no parts (including window cills etc) permitted to extend beyond the existing footprint of the building. Introducing a single storey extension of no more than 4m deep would be a radical change. Note, the extension would only be possible on previously developed land, i.e. farmyard hardstanding.

In addition to these major changes, the government are also seeking to introduce a minimum dwelling size of 37sqm and allowing Class Q development on article 2(3) land (such as national parks, AONBs, conservation areas etc.). There is also a proposal to expand Class Q rights to buildings in other uses such as forestry and equestrian buildings.

Expanded Class R rights

Currently, Class R allows agricultural buildings to change to flexible commercial use, the latter of which is limited in its scope. It is proposed to add new uses such as outdoor sports and recreation to allow greater farm diversification. Consideration is also being given to encouraging more mixed uses, such as a farm shop adjacent to a hotel, which is currently not possible under Class R. There will be an increase from 500 to 1,000 sqm for the total area which can change use, and views are being sought on whether to remove the need for prior approval (i.e. an application) for certain changes.

Tweaks to agricultural permitted development rights

Less radical changes are proposed to agricultural permitted development rights, with an increase in total floor area proposed, from 1,000sqm to 1,500sqm for new buildings under Class A (larger agricultural units) and to 1,250 for extensions to buildings under Class B (smaller units).

A new restriction is proposed, removing permitted development rights on Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

Our thoughts

The proposed changes to the Class Q legislation are particularly promising, and could remove some of the unnecessary hurdles currently faced by many applicants. An increase in the number of dwellings but a reduction in their size will help to deliver smaller, more affordable homes and discourage a proliferation in executive converted barns. Introducing flexibility around agricultural use is the biggest win, and the ability to convert stable blocks, barns which have temporarily been used as storage etc would open up many new opportunities for redundant buildings, which would be welcome.

The changes to Class R and Part 6 are less radical, but still helpful nonetheless.

Even if only some of the proposed amendments make it into legislation, this consultation represents an acknowledgement on the government’s part that certain planning limitations are needlessly restricting opportunities for rural development. We are hopeful that the pertinent changes are ultimately adopted.

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Let’s hear it for bungalows

Dominic Parravani, Managing Director of Durrants, looks at bungalows – a property market sector that offers buyers bags of often overlooked potential.

Let’s speak up in favour of the bungalow. Those who live in these stairless homes understand what many others do not; that life is beautiful in a bungalow.

Single-storey dwelling is easy and convenient, and in essence, is like living in a superb apartment but with huge benefits – no one above and below you and your own front door and parking area.

Plus, as bungalows can occupy a larger footprint than storied houses and often enjoy wide plots, there is usually a sizeable garden to use as a sophisticated outdoor room for relaxing and entertaining.

Bungalows are not just for the older generation; they can often be easily altered to provide an effective and modern open-plan style of living for all age groups, including families.

Many house buyers are just that – buyers of houses. Most don’t think to add bungalows to their search. They should, as even the humblest bungalow can often offer more lifestyle options than one might think.

Of course, subject to planning permission, one could always add another floor and double the living space or, in the case of some poorly constructed inter-war bungalows built on great plots in wonderful locations, one could knock the place down and start again.

Then there are the thousands of bungalows built in seaside towns when those of pensionable age wanted little more from life than to retire to the coast. Some retirees still do, but their go-to bungalow option is now starting to register with a wider group of buyers.

We are not just house experts; we are bungalow experts too. Please call us to discover the range and advantages of bungalow living.

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What is the housing market doing?

The latest take on the housing market from Durrants Residential Area Manager George Berry.

What is the housing market doing?

This is the question I am naturally being asked daily. There is no escaping it has its challenges and arguably the most challenging since the financial crash of 2008. However, it is far from doom and gloom! The biggest difference from 2008 is banks still want to lend.

I appreciate for many the cost of borrowing is higher with the increase in interest rates. But the simple fact is many still want and need to move for a variety of reasons. When factoring affordability, all it means is buyers will adjust their budgets.

We are moving into what we historically refer to as a more ‘normal’ market. The difficulty for many is understanding what that looks like as it has been so long. It simply means that there is more emphasis on buyers and focusing on their searches rather than the days of properties selling themselves due to the imbalance with supply and demand.

It is exactly for this reason why High Street agents are needed now more than ever and online agents will become more exposed as buyers and vendors need support and that can only come from real people.

We all know that historically property is the safest long term investment and for those looking to take a long term view then there is no reason why now is not a good time to move. Will prices adjust? There is evidence to suggest they are starting to change but all that will happen is negotiation will play a bigger part to find a transaction on both sides that all are happy with. Again, real agents will come into their own in this regard.

It is very easy to feel disheartened at times like these but it is imperative to look at the long term bigger picture and remain with a glass half full perspective!

Please contact me to discuss any property needs you may have.

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Our guide to the Renters Reform Bill

Introduced to Parliament on 17^th May, the Renters Reform Bill (RRB) forms part of the government’s ‘levelling up’ plans, and seeks to provide more security to tenants, whilst clamping down on irresponsible landlords.

The Bill is in the earliest stage of the parliamentary process, as it needs to pass through the House of Commons, then the House of Lords before receiving Royal Assent – a process likely to take around 18 months. The changes will apply to housing only, and it has since been clarified that they will not apply to student lets.

We summarise the key changes and potential implications for landlords and tenants below.

Abolishing no-fault evictions

Currently, under Section 21 of the 1988 Housing Act, a landlord can evict a tenant for no reason and without establishing fault on the part of the tenant, providing they give 2 months’ notice. This is proposed to be removed entirely, with landlords only being able to evict tenants under ‘reasonable circumstances’. These include anti-social behaviour, rent arrears of at least 2 months, occurring at least 3 times in the last 3 years, or if the landlord needs to sell the property or allow family to move in. These options are only available 6 months into the tenancy. The legal system will also be altered to expedite the process for lawful evictions, which is currently slow.

The end of Assured Shorthold Tenancies

Most renters currently sign an AST, generally involving an initial fixed period of 6 or 12 months, following by a monthly rolling tenancy which can be ended by the tenant or the landlord. ASTs will be replaced with periodic tenancies, which are month-to-month from the beginning of the tenancy. In addition to landlords losing the ability to evict a tenant without reason, the new tenancies will require the tenant to give 2 months’ notice to end their tenancy.

Limitations on rent increases

Under the new proposals, landlords will only be allowed to increase the rent once per year, and they must give tenants 2 months’ notice. Rent review clauses will be removed from tenancies, and tenants will have new routes to challenge rent increases through tribunals.

A new ombudsman

A new ombudsman will be established, with powers to compel landlords to remediate their properties, apologise to tenants or even compensate them for up to £25,000.

No more discrimination over pets, benefits or children

Under the current regulations, landlords can refuse to let to tenants who have pets or children or who are on benefits. This will change. Tenants can request to have a pet, and the landlord has 42 days to respond to a request. Consent cannot unreasonably be withheld. It will also be illegal to refuse to let a property to people with children or who are on benefits. One area of concern at this stage is that under the current bill, landlords will not be able to evict a tenant who has defaulted on their rental payments as a result of their universal credit payment being delayed.

Expansion of ‘Decent Homes Standard’

Currently, only affordable housing is required to meet certain standards in relation to the condition of properties, meaning a large number of private rental properties (25% in fact) are sub-standard. The Decent Homes Standard will apply to private rental properties, with landlords having a legal obligation to remediate their properties. Council’s enforcement powers will be strengthened, and the ombudsman will help to enforce the new standard.

How it will be implemented

Once the Bill has received Royal Assent and becomes law, the government will give 6 months’ notice before its implementation, by which point all new tenancies will be governed by the new rules. Existing tenancies will have a further 12 months to convert to the new system.

Our thoughts

This is widely considered to be the largest shakeup of the private rental sector in over 30 years. There are just over 4.4 million households in private rented accommodation in England (around 20% of households), and this is forecast to grow. Clearly, action needed to be taken to address the poor standard of some private rented accommodation and to provide more security to tenants.

The general consensus is that it will be harder for landlords to gain possession for no reason, but possibly quicker and easier to evict tenants who have breached their tenancy. The need for a tenant to fall behind on rent 3 times over a cumulative 6 months in 3 years before they can lawfully be evicted will be very worrying for buy-to-let landlords with only one property and/or a mortgage.

Raising standards of accommodation can only be a positive change, as well as the increased security for tenants. Good quality rented accommodation is a necessary option when house prices are high.

One of the possible consequences of the new bill is that buy-to-let landlords may leave the market. This would result in an increase in availability of homes to buy, potentially reducing house prices, but a resulting decrease in rental properties, pushing rental values up.

There are technicalities to resolve still, such as how a landlord can demonstrate that they genuinely have family who wish to move in (i.e. definition of family etc.), but it is very unlikely that the bill will be in its current form by the time it becomes law.

In conclusion, these changes are perhaps not as radical as the headlines might lead us to believe, but certainly seem more favourable for tenants than for landlords.

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Introducing George Berry

Durrants are pleased to welcome George Berry who has joined as Residential Area Manager for our Diss and Harleston offices.

George has been an estate agent for his entire working career, with over 25 years’ experience in both the South East and East Anglia.

He said: “I’ve always loved it. Property still excites me now, and looking after people through the biggest and probably most emotional transaction they will be involved in has just been fantastic.”

Although much has changed in estate agency since George started his career with the advent of the internet, he believes there has more recently been a movement back towards personal contact. “Post COVID, we’ve seen a bit of a shift with people wanting contact with people. That’s why that personal connection we have with our clients is so important.

“It’s been great to see already from the teams in our Diss and Harleston offices that people are afforded time. We all know how fast time goes but every member of both offices has demonstrated that, if you want to, you can slow it down to give people the time they need.”

Being given time to decide on a next move is just one important part of the jigsaw. George is also keen to stress how an experienced estate agent such as Durrants will always have the edge over an ‘online only’ competitor.

He says: “I think there’s the assumption that you can put a property on the internet and it sells itself. That can happen in a busy market, but those of us who have been in an agency for a long time all know that the main bit of the process is once the sale is agreed.

“Being able to hold it all together and nurturing a sale – the progression role is far more detailed and far more involved now than it has ever been, and that’s where the online agents fall down. It’s difficult to get hold of people who know what is going on.

“I have certainly advised clients when sales are agreed to be very wary if an online agent is involved in the chain, because to manage that chain through can be very precarious.”

George promises a warm welcome to anyone who phones or drops into Durrants with an enquiry about a property they wish to buy or sell.

“I’ve noticed already in the short time since I joined that everyone who contacts us gets our full attention and we are 100% focused on them. That’s something that has been missing for me in other situations I’ve been in previously, especially in the South East where everything can seem rushed. We want to make people feel valued and that’s what’s really important.”

To arrange a valuation of your home or a viewing of a property, please get in touch with our Diss or Harleston offices. Full contact details of all our branches across South Norfolk and North Suffolk can be found here.

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Be A Medal Winner

Dominic Parravani, Managing Director of Durrants, looks at a key feature home-buyers are adding to their wish lists this year.

Many of those who saw the Chelsea Flower Show featured on TV recently, or better still attended the annual event in person, would have been struck by the more natural turn garden designers have taken this year. Not only that but considerable time and skill were given to smaller multi-use plots and even balconies – in some cases deep enough only for a tiny chair. The creativity was as spectacular as it was beautiful.

While there was the usual heavy lifting of giant boulders for rushing mountain streams and huge established trees for shade and drama in the show gardens, attention by the designers was also given to intimate city and even industrial landscapes. Weeds, for once, were encouraged.

Garden designers understand public taste only too well, and so do estate agents. Since the start of the pandemic, the importance of outdoor space has been rising in the minds of home buyers, whether it is for the horticulturally minded or for those who demand a deck with room for eating, relaxing and barbecuing. Outdoor entertaining in our warming climate is very much in.

There was a time years ago when a good kitchen would sell a house. Then it was well-planned kitchens and bathrooms. More recently it has been open plan ground floor living. But now outdoor spaces are very much the thing. A property’s exterior has become almost as important as its interior. It doesn’t matter how small or large the area is as long as the most has been made of it.

So if you are getting your property ready to sell you should of course focus on the interior, but don’t forget the outside relaxing area. Our advice is to channel your inner Monty Don and make the most of your garden, terrace or balcony. With the increasing importance of outside space to buyers, not doing so could lose you a gold medal of a deal.

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Branch focus: Beccles

Lisa Brown is Residential Sales Manager at our Beccles branch. She has been with Durrants since 2010 and has an extensive background in property law and conveyancing.

She keeps one key motto in mind when talking about the main difference between Durrants and other estate agents. Lisa said: “When I first joined Durrants, a colleague I worked alongside told me, ‘We don’t actually sell houses, we move people’, and I think that has stuck with me. It’s not just about the bricks and mortar, it’s about the person and what their needs are.

“So, the fact that the heart of Durrants’ business is people and their needs is what drew me to want to work here and why I’ve stayed so long.”

Lisa added: “You’ve got to love property and you’ve got to love people in this industry and I’m amazed how many don’t. It’s interesting when I ask someone why they chose Durrants to market their property rather than another agent, they often say ‘well, you actually liked my house’, whereas they say others made no comment as they walked around.”

Durrants is at the heart of Beccles, a town that is growing in popularity as visitors to Suffolk and Norfolk look for alternatives to well-known coastal attractions. “I’ve been amazed how many people have discovered this area in recent years,” said Lisa. “There’s a recognised tourist industry here. Some lovely cottages in the town that are holiday cottages have been netting incomes that aren’t dissimilar to the amounts that cottages have been getting in Southwold.”

Lisa also points to a more varied property market in the area. “The great thing about property in Beccles, as opposed to somewhere like say Southwold where it’s very investor-led, is that you have a nice mixture of first-time buyers, families, upsizing, downsizing – and all those different facets of life changes means that the cogs will keep turning even in a bad market.”

With people searching more widely for homes that offer better value for money, Lisa believes the Beccles area is increasingly coming up on the radar. “It’s only about half an hour from Norwich and 20-25 minutes from the coast, there’s the river and its proximity to The Broads. Beccles is a thriving town with lots of good independent businesses and well-regarded schools. If you want to be close to both city and coast and enjoy a buzzing little market town, Beccles is definitely worth considering.”

To arrange a free valuation of your home or a viewing of a property, please contact our Beccles branch on 01502 712122 or email beccles@durrants.com.

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King Of All He Surveys

King Charles III may have been made lifetime steward of many great houses and castles, but our new monarch has also shown that he is adept at identifying homes ripe for renovation.

While the king isn’t exactly short of funds, he has something equally important – a great eye. Additionally Charles has demonstrated enormous vision in vernacular architecture and town planning over the years.

As a first-time buyer the king’s entry into the property market was his Cotswolds home, Highgrove. Given a more classical facade and then subject to a garden transformation, Highgrove became a house fit for a future king. In carrying out the renovation Charles put into action his many thoughts on organic gardening and horticulture.

Using 400 acres of Duchy of Cornwall land adjacent to Dorchester, Charles, as the Prince of Wales, oversaw the planning and execution of Poundbury, an experimental town extension. This gave him the opportunity to re-examine many of the urban and rural planning ideas he outlined in his book, A Vision of Britain, published in 1989. Today Poundbury is no longer an experiment; it is a successful and thriving community of almost 6000 residents with its own property micro market.

In saving Dumfries House in Scotland from being sold and the priceless contents scattered all over the world – a fate that has befallen so many of our great houses – King Charles not only protected for the nation an exceptional stately home but provided valuable jobs and training opportunities for the local community. The king’s drive to protect, skill to reimagine and instinct for sustainable housing has also been employed in properties in Wales, Cornwall and even Romania.

But in taking on these projects King Charles has done nothing more than we do when buying and bringing up-to-date property worthy of our love and attention. We mirror the king in conservation, investing for the future, providing work for local tradespeople and turning homes into castles.

Our king understands housing: our governments, of whichever persuasion, should try to do the same.

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Durrants are the perfect partner for new homes

Durrants New Homes department are the perfect partner for building a relationship, if you are looking for new homes developments. Lily Lawrence is our New Homes Consultant and is responsible for our bespoke service to property developers who are looking to build a partnership.

Lily says: “We are the only agents in the area with fully qualified in-house specialists covering planning, architecture and surveying. Our Building Consultancy team can assist with every step of the process.

“Our agricultural team have great relationships with landowners, so we can often identify suitable plots of land for developers.”

“Having worked with a number of local developers, we know the importance of not only managing their existing development, but also having an eye on what is coming next,” Lily added. “Our relationship with landowners can often extend to knowing in advance where plots of land may be available in the future, which puts Durrants well ahead of our competitors.”

Lily says building relationships is what she loves the most about her job. “It’s lovely to see the gleam in someone’s eye when they finally move into a home they love,” she says.

“It’s more than just a house, it’s a lifestyle. It might be a house where they are going to raise their children, or it could be a last move for someone as they retire. We recognise that it’s always an important decision and so I love helping people through that process to completion.”

Whether you are a developer looking for land & working together, or if you’re interested in a home at one of our current developments, please get in touch with our New Homes team at Durrants.

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Durrants donates play equipment to Bungay pre-school

Durrants are delighted to have been able to donate some new play equipment to Emmanuel Pre-School in Bungay.

The pre-school is a non-profit making organisation and relies heavily on donations so we were thrilled to support their important work with a new climbing frame and slide which the children are already making good use of.

A number of young children with special educational needs have joined Emmanuel recently and the new play equipment helps to improve their motor skills as well as their physical and mental development.

The children presented us with a thank you card and homemade cake on a recent visit to say thank you. We hope you have many happy days playing in the future!

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A guide to the process of creating a Neighbourhood Plan

Neighbourhood planning was introduced in 2011, and as of the end of 2021, there were around 2,800 neighbourhood plans in existence.

Once ‘made’ (i.e. adopted), neighbourhood plans have full weight, and are effectively considered part of the local plan and are therefore a material consideration in planning decisions.

Below is a quick guide to the process for making a neighbourhood plan.

1. Designation/definition of the neighbourhood plan area (Reg 14)

The neighbourhood plan group identifies the geographic area that their NP will cover and submit this to the local authority for designation. In most cases, the local authority will consult the public before designating a plan area. The local authority has 13 weeks to make a decision.

2. Preparation of the plan

This stage includes preparing policies that shape the growth and priorities of the area for 15-20 years. It can include a call for sites if the area is identified for growth in the local plan – in fact, it must identify opportunities for housing growth in this case and cannot be used to stop development where it has been identified as needed.

3. Publicity and consultation (Reg 14)

The Plan must be publicised for 6 weeks, with comments invited from local stakeholders and residents, as well as statutory consultees and bodies. The plan must be adjusted to accommodate comments.

4. Submission of the neighbourhood plan to the local authority (Reg 16)

The Plan is then submitted to the local authority, who ensures that it complies with relevant processes and legislation. If it passes this stage, the Plan is then published for a further 6 weeks for comment.

5. Submission of the neighbourhood plan to an independent Examiner

The Plan and any responses received during step 4 are sent to a selected Examiner. The Examiner provides a report to the local authority and neighbourhood planning group giving his or her recommendation as to whether the plan is suitable. The local authority ultimately decides whether the plan is suitable for referendum.

6. Referendum

This is the final vote to adopt/make the plan. Everyone living in the designated area who is registered to vote can vote in the referendum. If more than 50% are in favour of the plan, it is formally considered for adoption by the local authority.

7. Neighbourhood plan is ‘made’

It is now a material consideration in planning decisions.

The Planning team at Durrants is currently undertaking a review of all emerging neighbourhood plans in our area. Look out for an update on this soon – there may be an opportunity to promote your site through your neighbourhood plan.

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Spring into action

Dominic Parravani of Durrants takes a look at the property market as we enter the prime spring buying months.

In property there are top-down people and bottom-up people. The top-down people seem to believe that it is the wealthy who drive the property market.

On the other hand, the bottom-up people think that first time buyers drive the market. They think market entrants kick-start the chain of events that gives momentum to the market as a whole.

But whatever one believes there is little doubt that from top to bottom most of the action in the market right now is being propelled by need rather than ambition. With fewer aspirational buyers around, all UK regions saw a slowing in price growth in the first quarter of 2023, with most seeing small year-on-year falls – according to Nationwide.

But these falls are not great. Indeed, they probably represent asking prices that are more optimistic than realistic in these conditions, and certainly do not reflect some of the gloomy predictions of a number of property market commentators about falling values this year.

Without a number of kick-start incentives such as stamp duty reduction and the help-to-buy scheme, the market is once again on its own. Higher interest rates have caused house buyers to take a breath, while buy-to-let investors, severely hit by those mortgage rates, are holding fire.

Whilst the property industry often dislikes government intervention, it is the government who can kick start the market again. This will not be through direct intervention but by making the correct economic decisions for the UK as a whole. Because the market isn’t driven by the bottom or the top. It is driven by national confidence through fiscal competence.

Having said that, let’s not forget that some savvy people will be taking full advantage of a lull in the market this spring. Perhaps they are heeding the words of the legendary billionaire oilman, J Paul Getty, who said, “Buy when everyone else is selling, and hold on until everyone else is buying”.

Get a free valuation of your property by filling in our online form, or just drop into any of our branches for a friendly chat about your next move.

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Jasmine Philpott featured in new motorsport podcast

Jasmine Philpott, Planner at Durrants Building Consultancy has been interviewed at length on a podcast about her off-road car racing pursuits.

She’s featured on the latest episode of The Rebecca Jackson Show, talking about how she got into the sport and plans to compete in the gruelling Dakar Rally. The podcast is available to listen to here.

Durrants have pledged their support to Jasmine in her off-road car racing.

The 29-year-old has competed in a grassroots motorsport called Competitive Safari (aka comp safari) for several years. Driving her custom-built prototype Warrior, Jasmine is regarded as the most competitive female driver in the sport since the 1990s, generally placed in the top 10 in national events.

Find out more about Jasmine Philpott and her Dakar Rally mission

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Visit our Open Day at Manor View, Halesworth

Durrants are holding a special Open Day at the exciting new Manor View development in Halesworth on Saturday 8th April.

Manor View has a range of two and three bedroom bungalows as well as four bedroom houses, designed to offer all the comforts of a luxury countryside home.

Every property in this small and exclusive development, built by local company Heritage Developments, has been designed with care and attention to high standards.

At the Open Day, you’ll be able to see the range of properties we have on offer. Some are already reserved, a number are on the market now with the remaining properties due for completion soon.

We would love you to join us anytime between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 8th April. Refreshments will be available. Manor View is situated just off Old Station Road in Halesworth. The postcode is IP19 8JJ.

Further details with 3D views of properties and an online brochure can be found in the New Homes section of our website.

We look forward to meeting you and showing you around.

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Investing in property? Here are 10 top tips!

Investing in property can be highly lucrative, and the best way to enjoy it and make it as profitable as possible is to know your stuff. Like so much in life, there is an element of luck involved, and to a certain degree, you make your own luck. That said, if you like to err on the side of caution, investing in property can give you a lot of security. There is also vast scope for creativity; whichever approach you take, do it your own way.

Sometimes the biggest obstacle to doing anything is simply deciding what you are going to do! In the world of property investment, you are spoiled for choice, and each property offers unique opportunities. So before you make up your mind, consider these tips. Then remember the golden rule: always leave a bit of space for manoeuvring in case your plans change!

Buy-to-let or buy-to-sell?
Do you want to be a property developer or a landlord? There is a constant stream of homes arriving on the market that need modernising or updating. Once completed, who says you can’t do both? Let your refurbished property for a few years, then sell it for a profit!

Get to know the market
Ideally, try to buy in an up-and-coming area. The scope for growth in value is greater. This does not mean you have to find an amazingly exclusive area enjoying mega growth. Often, an area that is moving forward and steadily improving is just the ticket when finding an affordable property. Spend a little time getting to know the areas you are considering investing in.

Have a plan
Planning is a good way to keep you on the right road. Make lists and make notes for moving, refurbishments, and costing, include calculations for rental yields and a list of legal requirements, and tick each step off one by one as there is a lot to remember.

Familiarise yourself with the law
Certain safety standards must be met; these can include smoke alarms, gas certificates, portable appliance testing, an Energy Performance Certificate, and building control certificates for structural alterations. If you let your property, you must conduct Right to Rent checks as a landlord.

Insurance
If you let your property, this is a no-brainer. There are so many policies you can opt for, from malicious damage by tenants to loss of rental income. Make sure any tradespeople working on your property have the correct insurance.

Building contractors
Finding the right tradespeople to create your property vision can mean the difference between making a good profit and losing money because they don’t finish on time.

Budget
If you plan to let your property, calculate the rental yield, which will help you calculate your return on investment (ROI). There are many rental yield calculators available online. If you are developing a property, create a spreadsheet or use a property development budget template. Always leave a little aside for the unexpected.

Make the most of your property’s space
Renting or selling make the most of the space you have. More rooms mean more rent or a higher selling price. Have you thought of converting a modest-sized home into flats?

Stay on-trend
When you decide to short-term let, flip, or buy to long-term let, extend, let holiday homes, convert, refurbish, or invest in green, professional, or student sectors, stay clued in to everything from interior decor (keep things neutral and simple) to changes in the law and the latest property market trends.

There is a lot to think about when investing in a property to rent. Durrants offer two different levels of service based on your requirements; a Let and Managed Service where we take care of the tenancy for you, or our Let Only service if you prefer to manage the tenancy yourself. Find out more here and book a free rental valuation.

Or are you looking for a great investment opportunity? Get in touch with your nearest Durrants branch. We always have properties available across our five branches that may be of interest. If you’re looking into developing or extending a property, why not get in touch with our Building Consultancy team. They can help with planning, architecture and surveying matters.

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Spring promises more choice for the housing market

There is nothing quite like spring, with thawing winter frosts heralding the imminent arrival of summer and longer evenings. 2023 will allow you to drink all this in and enjoy these inspirational moments all the more. The same can be said of your property search. With houses no longer selling like there’s no tomorrow, unlike the rather uncomfortable rush of the past couple of years. You can finally breathe, take a little time, and find the home you love.

A little more housing stock means house prices are not spiralling

Be in no doubt: there is still a housing drought in the UK property market, helping keep prices buoyant. Demand still far outweighs supply. However, with stocks replenishing a little as the market calms so do house prices. You no longer have to race to the first possible viewing to compete with other buyers and make offers over the asking price. The result is that house prices are not spiralling too quickly. Instead, house-buying conditions are more settled and compatible with a secure future.

Quality time spent with your agent and your potential new home

Sometimes too much choice makes it harder to make up your mind! Have you ever found yourself wishing you could have the kitchen from your first viewing in the location or with the garden from another viewing? The guidance, inspiration, and seasoned yet informed input of a good agent will help your vision become an adventure that surpasses your expectations. Reality is often more beautiful and awe-inspiring than your dreams, and you could end up with a far better home than you ever imagined.

More choice gives you more inspiration

Inspiration and choice go hand in hand. View and explore the feelings inspired by other homes. Physical viewings will yield to your imagination myriad ideas to help you truly understand what you are looking for. In many ways your new home picks you, and the more homes you view the greater the chances of finding your true home destiny.

Live the house dream

Perhaps one of the greatest incarnations of a dream is buying and moving into the home you have wanted for so long. You get live inside your vision. When this happens, the feeling of elation is unique and unforgettable. The house you choose will be the place to witness so many happy memories while protecting you from the elements and challenges of the world outside. You don’t want to rush this big decision, and now you are in a good place to make the right choices.

Browse our properties and help us to help you find your home.

Remember we are always on hand to help you find the right home for you. Contact us today or drop in to your nearest Durrants branch.

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Success for Durrants clients as sites selected in housing plan

The Durrants Planning team, based in Diss, are pleased to have secured preferred allocations and settlement boundary extensions for numerous landowner clients across South Norfolk in the latest iteration of the VCHAP (Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan).

The Regulation 19 consultation is the final consultation stage in preparation of the Plan, which will see a total of at least 1,200 homes delivered in 48 villages across the District between 2028 and 2038.

Durrants submitted representations for both preferred and rejected sites, and looks forward to adoption of the Housing Plan, which is due in the next year.

Durrants have the in-house expertise to guide landowners through the next stages of the process, from submitting planning applications (outline or full), designing individual units or entire schemes, representing landowners in a land sale to a developer or promoter, and selling building plots or finished homes.

If your site has been selected as a preferred allocation or settlement boundary extension and you do not have anyone on board to advise you on the next step, please do get in touch with Jasmine on jasmine.philpott@durrants.com and we can discuss your options.

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Negotiation not Obduration

Dominic Parravani of Durrants highlights what it takes to put together property deals in 2023.

With the property market now working in favour of buyers, negotiation between parties has suddenly become very important. Through the pandemic and its aftermath full and over-price offers were the order of the day. Frankly, it often wasn’t hard to do a deal then, but now the pendulum has swung the other way. Unfortunately, many sellers across the country haven’t quite got this message yet. That is why, with many more buyers coming to the market, there are not as many people moving as there could be.

Four things make a positive negotiation: a good attitude, flexibility, pragmatism and being seen to be reasonable. We need look no further than the recent political negotiations concerning Northern Ireland to show how previous talks broke down, when lately there has been far more progress.

As Winston Churchill said, “You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth”. If one side is bitter and angry and the other aggressive and intransigent, there is little room for an understanding between parties. Indeed, a lot of principle taking and digging in of heels seldom gets anyone anywhere. But an acceptable deal is far more achievable with goodwill on both sides, a clear view of what may be possible, and a sympathetic attitude to the other party’s issues. Remember, the best deals are those where both parties feel they have won, or at least haven’t lost.

A good estate agent understands all these nuances and orchestrates the negotiation, smoothing out the inevitable ups and downs during an important and tense time.

Today, if you are about to sell your property, the first thing you need is a great negotiator. So, do your homework. Speak to a few estate agents and ask them to give you an example of how they conducted a recent complex sale. Don’t be embarrassed to ask. What is at stake is an excellent outcome. Having a deal maker on your side, and not an order taker, is vital.

Ask yourself what is more important, a cheap estate agent or a great result? Get in touch with your nearest Durrants branch today, or get a free valuation of your property.

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Are there benefits to overpaying a mortgage?

If you have streamlined your spending and examined where and how you can save, you might find that you have a little leftover. Thought of overpaying your mortgage? Paying more of your mortgage off, means you pay less interest. Heating, council tax, and gas bills have all increased. In some ways there is not much you can do to reduce the price of these things yourself. With interest rates higher than they have been for years there has never been a better time to get one back on the system by saving money on your mortgage. We look at the best ways to do so and crunch some numbers to show how a few extra pounds each month can shorten the term of your mortgage significantly.

There are essentially two ways to overpay your mortgage, in a lump sum or by adjusting your monthly payment.

Mortgage overpayment calculator

Most high street banks have mortgage overpayment calculators which will help you see how much you could save.

Overpay in lump sums

It could be that you get a good interest rate on a savings account. You can save an amount you are comfortable with and feel secure in case you need access to emergency funds. Then pay off so much of your mortgage in lump sums, always leaving a certain amount in your savings account.

Increase your monthly payment

Many people choose to increase their monthly payments.If you have taken out a mortgage with a term of 25 years for £150,000 at an interest rate of 4% then here are some inspiring numbers!

According to moneysavingexpert.com, paying an extra £10 per month could save over £2000 on interest and pay your mortgage off 6 months early.*

If you increased your payment by £100 then you could reduce the term of your mortgage by nearly four and half years, with a saving in interest paid of £17,000!

Penalties

It is essential that you check the terms of your mortgage with your mortgage provider. There may be a penalty cost incurred if you overpay by a certain amount. That said you will still be able to overpay more than you might expect before being punished! For example, most mortgage providers will allow you to pay up to 10% of the balance before being charged for fixed-interest rate mortgages. One advantage of paying a variable rate mortgage is that typically you can pay off as much as you like.

A better deal

If you have been overpaying your mortgage and it’s time to get a new deal, you may find that you get a better interest rate because your loan-to-value (LTV) ratio is now lower. Typically, the more equity in your home the less interest you will pay. Paying off more of your mortgage can save you on interest in more ways than one!

Do what’s right for you

Perhaps you are struggling and this is something you will look at doing in the future. It may be that you have a grand plan and aim to pay off your mortgage in the next seven years. Whichever you decide to do, paying off a little or a lot has a big impact!

It’s more than a house it’s the feeling of being home. Browse our properties.

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Will house prices decline this year?

Will house prices decline this year?

What does it really mean when you read a headline which mentions falling house prices? We hear this phrase so often that we are led to believe it! The media constantly churns out facts and figures to scare us all and warn of looming doom!

For most people, buying a house is a long-term investment and if house prices rise or fall it’s always best not to focus on the headlines, instead take a step back and put things in perspective.

If we look at last year, house price increases indeed dipped due to interest rates rising and the impact of the minibudget. In 2022 according to the Nationwide Price Index, house prices grew by 2.8% overall for the year, falling from a growth rate of 4.4%. Yet according to the office for National Statistics average UK prices increased by 12.6% over the year to October 2022. So, it depends on who you ask! Not to mention regional differences and property type – often houses increase in value more rapidly than flats.

Predictions

Zoopla predicts a 5% fall in house prices, while Lloyds bank gives a higher figure of 9%. Many analysts agree house prices will fall for the next two years but rise again in 2025. Perhaps more optimistically the housing market could simply level out, with smaller drops in house prices. There is still a shortage of houses and therefore this will stabilise the market. The housing market is simply returning to a pre-pandemic norm with more realistic interest rates. The good news is without rapidly rising prices, there is more long-term stability.

The good news

Ultimately if you are selling, the value of your home will have gone up considerably over the past years so if it falls a little you have still gained. If you are about to purchase your first property and still gathering the deposit and you know it may take a little longer, at least house prices are not rocketing which gives you a little more time. And when you are in a position to make an offer, you may find that you have a lot more wriggle room in terms of making a lower offer and saving some money.

Long term

Buying a house is a long-term investment for most of us and even large drops in value will not create big gains or losses. For example, if you buy a house for £200,000, typically the deposit is 10%, £20,000. If you plan to wait thinking house prices will drop by 10% you have saved £2000, in terms of a deposit. In a long-term investment, this is not a significant amount of money.

If the worst does happen, you buy a house tomorrow and house prices suddenly drop by 10% unless you are planning on selling within the next 2 years, with house prices set to rise again in 2025 then again realistically you have lost £2000, temporarily before gaining again. In both the above scenarios, in the long term, you will still gain.

Conclusion

The future looks good, yet even if there is a sudden drop in the grand scheme of things, it’s not such a bad thing! In fact, does it even matter? What’s important is finding a house you can call home and cherish the memories you make in it.

Browse all the properties we have for sale at Durrants to find your next home.

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Get your home ready for spring with this checklist

Spring is still a month away and the longer, lighter days of summer breeze are even further in the future. That’s not to say you can’t start giving your home a good spring clean now and get ahead of the seasons. It can be a liberating, therapeutic experience and often quite necessary with Christmas not that far behind us. The odd pine needle that you may find on the floor or carpet is proof that you made the right decision to give your home a spring clean.

Now that you are on top of your cleaning, in fact, your house is an impeccable example of cleanliness. What else do you need to think about at this time of year?

Inspection

Give your home a good overall inspection. When you find anything that needs attention take a picture of it or make a note. Then you can create a list of priorities. This is the first step to sorting whatever you find!

Check your caulking

A good place to start is to check out your bathroom caulking. During the steamy windows of wintry months, this often suffers. The cold winter weather outside means that you have perhaps not opened the windows quite as often as usual.

Windows

Give your windows a good clean. You most likely have a window cleaner to do the outside, get some vinegar, water and elbow grease and tackle the inside.

Gutters

After the windy assaults of winter, it’s always a good idea to check your guttering. If it’s damaged, when it rains again it can cause more damage or flooding which could lead to expensive repairs. Plus, it’s always a good idea to get on top of any repairs because there might be a bit of a wait to get them fixed if you find any.

Roof

Checking your roof is important; a few slate tiles may have become loose or perhaps have blown away. Use a camera or binoculars, just to be on the safe side.

Garden

It might be a bit early to get fully immersed in your garden. However, you can certainly have a tidy-up and start planting a few bulbs for the summer. Why not check the patio for weeds or cracks that may have appeared from the ice? Simply doing these things will make you feel as if spring and summer are well on the way.

Wood

If there are a couple of clear days and you have the time. Reseal your decking or fences, as well as the shed or gates. Now is a great time to get it done.

Concrete and pointing

Any concrete, pointing, tarmac or hard surfaces that may have cracked over the winter or simply become cluttered up with moss or dirt can be cleaned. This will brighten up the appearance of your home and make it feel a bit more spring-like.

The result

Doing all these things will help whether you are staying put, selling, thinking of moving or if you have plans to develop your property in the coming months.

Thinking of moving? Call us or book online today for a free valuation to see how we can help.

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Durrants sponsors River Waveney Trust project

Durrants are pleased to announce sponsorship for the River Waveney Trust. The support will go towards the Norfolk Ponds Project, a partnership project with the aim of promoting the conservation of Norfolk ponds, especially in farmland.

The Norfolk Ponds Project aims to work alongside landowners to reverse the decline of Norfolk ponds so that agricultural landscapes contain an assortment of clean water ponds with fewer ponds overgrown by trees and bushes.

You can find out more about the valuable work carried out by River Waveney Trust by visiting their website.

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Things that landlords need to know in 2023

This year is proof that life as a landlord is not as simple as it used to be. Reforms for tenants along with new laws and legislation will make it a bit more complex. That said the great news is that demand for rented properties is still extremely strong. There is a chance you could pick up a bargain as property prices slow. These changes help protect landlords and tenants so it should be another good year where standards across the industry rise.

Better protection for tenants

The renter’s reform bill could become legislation this year if the government have their way. Giving more rights to tenants will also force unscrupulous landlords to up their game and stop cutting corners. This will raise standards and rights for renters and stop your properties to let potentially suffering from bad landlords undercutting you.

Higher capital gains tax

The tax-free allowance for landlords selling a property will be reduced significantly from April. This means you could pay more capital gains tax, so if you want to avoid it, and you are thinking of selling, better to sell sooner rather than later. There will be further cuts in 2024, meaning your tax relief when you decide to sell will be halved.

Buy-to-let mortgage rates

Mortgage rates while higher than they used to be, are now much more stable than last year. This means you can plan for the future once again and calculate costs more accurately.

Higher demand

In 2022 demand for rented accommodation was huge. This year demand is still very strong. Fewer people can afford to buy due to the cost-of-living crises and the hike in interest rates. It’s expected that landlords will increase rents in order to cover costs but also to reflect the huge demand and get a better rental yield.

Add to your portfolio

With house prices levelling out and falling now is the time to add to your portfolio. Rental yields are good, and demand is very high. Some landlords will choose to sell, while savvy investors will seek new properties to develop as buy-to-let businesses. Asking prices are much more open to lower offers than last year so you might just acquire something that before was not as good as an investment.

Financial help for energy efficiency upgrades

Landlords who meet certain criteria might be eligible for government assistance with £1bn to help homeowners to insulate their properties. The aim is to improve energy efficiency which will help landlords with providing energy-efficient, appealing homes.

Outlook

There is a lot going on in 2023, and if you are a landlord you are most likely to incur more costs. With rental demand growing now is the time to invest while providing great places to live for tenants. As the industry becomes more regulated, standards rise in so many ways, elevating the industry and creating a more stable investment prospect.

Tenant demand has never been better. Browse our properties

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Where should property investors put their money in 2023?

When it comes to property, there are no hard and fast rules when choosing where to invest. The UK has a rich, diverse and ever-evolving swathe of properties. From Art Deco, Tudor and Edwardian to ultra-modern there is an endless choice, and where you choose to invest comes down to your vision, budget and individual aspirations.

The possibilities are endless, it could be that you are a seasoned investor and you have now turned your attention to creating flats in what were terrace houses. Perhaps you are making your first steps on the buy-to-let ladder by letting your home. Perhaps you enjoy refurbishing properties or simply looking for a rental-ready property that needs no work for a solid and straightforward investment, managed by a letting agent.

A good opportunity is just that!

It’s no secret that property prices have increased rapidly over the past few years. Great investment property opportunities exist everywhere. Right now, as property price increases cool there is greater scope for buying below the asking price. This allows a little more budget for development. As a landlord, you can raise standards and achieve a greater rental yield.

Rental Yield

To calculate rental yield, divide the difference between annual rental income minus the annual costs, by the purchase price of the rental property. You can find many rental yield calculators online which will save time when calculating what is an appealing investment.

The Lancashire coast is an example of a region that in terms of an average rental yield offers a good return on investment. This is because the average property price is relatively low, while the average rent price is relatively high. House prices on the southeast coast over the past ten years have doubled, while in other regions prices have increased at a much slower rate, according to figures from The Office for National Statistics.

Every property is unique and while rental yields differ from property to property there are other factors to consider, as you seek your ideal property investments it’s important to focus on more than rental yields.

How quickly do you want to let your property?

Refurbishing a property depending on the level of work involved can take time. Investing in an already refurbished flat means it can be let out immediately. Waiting for builders or materials while you refurbish a terrace house or suburban detached house, can eat into your rental revenue. That said, letting a larger house room by room could offer a greater rental return and could be easily worth the investment of time and money.

What motivates you?

There are many developers and landlords savvy enough to realise that raising the standards of let properties is a passion that makes a lot of business sense. Providing the best possible property to let may cost more initially but it will increase, the value of your property and rental revenue and attract great tenants.

Not entirely sure where to invest in the property market? Contact us today to see how we can help.

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Ditch the Compass

Dominic Parravani of Durrants helps point you the right way through the new year property market maze.

There are areas of the British Isles, such as loftier parts of the Isle of Skye, where a compass doesn’t work. This anomaly is due to the local geology – a hard, abrasive, magnetic rock called gabbro. Not being able to trust one’s compass is always unnerving – and potentially dangerous.

At the moment the property market is like an untrustworthy compass. The needle should point accurately; instead it is going round and round, making the public uncertain about the correct way to go. Many people are faced with the rotating needle of conflicting information from the press and social media. Some commentators point to falling values, while others disagree. Headlines scream that higher mortgage rates will make it difficult for first time buyers, buy-to-let investors will be selling up en masse, or that in a few short months we will be in a pre-banking crisis, pre-Brexit and pre-pandemic property market Utopia.

It’s challenging for most to know which way to go. Should one hold off buying or selling in the hope of a better market? But buyers and sellers will be piling in by then, which could mean losing the advantage of bold action now.

The answer to all these questions is to ignore the confused media compass and find a more reliable pathfinder. Enter the estate agent. You might be astonished to know how much a good and experienced estate agent understands about their local property market. After all, agents’ activities are seen in the main to consist of social media posts, newspaper ads and For Sale and Sold boards. But estate agencies are like icebergs: ninety per cent of what’s going on is unseen.

Author Malcolm Gladwell suggested it takes 10,000 hours (or approximately ten years) of deliberate practice to become an expert in anything. Over ten years a good estate agent will have marketed, agreed the sales and seen through to completion thousands of property deals through markets good and bad, economies booming and busting, in spring, summer, autumn and winter. These property experts will have also helped families move during the good and the not so good times in their lives. Over 10,000 hours experienced agents have learnt what to do whatever the market, and they know what to do now.

So, if you want to know what direction is best for you in the prevailing property market, don’t trust a compass; ask an expert. Get in touch with your nearest Durrants branch, or get a free valuation of your property.

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Update on Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMs)

Defra has recently updated their guidance on the Environmental Land Management Schemes known as ELMs. In this document we have provided a brief summary of the updated information released by Defra.

The ELM schemes will continue to pay farmers to provide environmental good and services alongside food production. There is an increased focus on increasing biodiversity, improving water quality, flood resilience, woodland creation, and carbon capture.

Funding for farmers and land managers will be available under three schemes within the ELMs:

Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) will pay farmers to adopt and maintain sustainable farming practices.

Countryside Stewardship will pay for more targeted actions relating to specific locations, features and habitats.

Landscape Recovery will pay for bespoke, longer-term, larger scale projects to enhance the natural environment.

Below is a summary of the update for each specific scheme released last week:

New Sustainable Farming Incentives announced.

The update last week incudes new Sustainable Farming Incentives (SFI) Standards which will be available from late 2023. SFI offers funding to farmers to carry out farming activities in a more environmentally sustainable way so that they can produce environmental goods and services alongside food.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme opened in 2022 with originally three standards:

Arable Soils
Improved Grassland Soils
Moorland Standard

The six new standards include:

Hedgerows Standard
Arable & Horticulture Standard
Improved Grassland Standard
Low Input Grassland Standard
Nutrient Management Standard
Integrated Pest Management Standard

Sustainable Farming Incentive Management Payment

In 2023, Defra will introduce an additional ‘SFI management payment’ to recognise the management costs and time involved for farmers in participating in SFI.

The rates pf funding will be £20 per hectare (ha) management payment per year, for up to the first 50 hectares entered into SFI actions. This will represent a maximum payment of up to £1,000 per year. Defra will keep this payment under review over the next two years, along with all other elements of scheme design and deliver.

Countryside Stewardship (CS) Schemes:

From January 2023, payment rates for revenue and capital options in CS have been updated.

Defra have introduced a number of changes to help improve the application process and broaden the scope of the scheme.

These include:

expanding the capital offer to include specific items to help farmers and land managers prepare for habitat creation and restoration (such as feasibility studies, implementation plans or specific capital works) including existing HLS and CS agreement holders.

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) offer will be expended so eligibility now covering all catchments

Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders will be able to take up Countryside Stewardship agreements alongside their HLS – this will benefit farmers who already have an HLS agreement but want to increase their income from schemes by doing more on more of their land.

Those farmers currently in a CS agreement can already apply for another CS agreement if they want to extend their activities and support delivery of Environment Act outcomes.

Defra will bring some Higher Tier options into Mid Tier to support wider take-up of biodiversity-friendly options, and increasing options available in the Wildlife Offers and Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Packages to support 2030 and other biodiversity targets’ delivery

Farmers and land managers will have three years to complete capital works activity and submit claims – this will be automatic for any new applications received after 1 January 2023.

Defra will also introduce an annual declaration in place of the current burdensome revenue claim process (for all CS agreements)

The Higher Tier and Mid Tier and Wildlife Offer windows will open again in February and March respectively for applications.

Landscape Recovery

Landscape Recovery is designed to fund a smaller number of longer-term, larger-scale, bespoke projects to enhance the natural environment and deliver significant benefits. Defra will award agreements through competitive application rounds focused on the outcomes that are best delivered through these types of projects.

Defra will open applications for further rounds of Landscape Recovery in spring this year and in 2024.

Round two will focus on net zero, protected sites and habitat creation. This could include landscape scale projects creating and enhancing woodland, peatland, nature reserves and protected sites such as ancient woodlands, wetlands and salt marshes.

The roll out from Defra will continue for 2023 and 2024.

Please click the link here to access the full policy paper from DEFRA.

For further information or to discuss the new schemes and how they will be applicable to your individual circumstances, please contact one of our agricultural team on 01502 712122.

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Introducing Felicity Thornett

Felicity Thornett has joined Durrants as a Rural/Valuation Surveyor working across our entire area in Norfolk and Suffolk.

She is an experienced Chartered Surveyor and works across a number of Durrants departments, including Agricultural, Residential and Commercial.

Felicity said: “I’m really passionate about the area having lived here for a number of years, I’m already enjoying the variety of work, getting out and about to meet a diverse range of clients.”

“At a company like Durrants, we have such a great diversity of work and I enjoy grasping any challenge that comes across my desk.”

Felicity is a RICS Registered Valuer and member of the CAAV, the professional body for agricultural valuers. After studying law at university, she gained experience with both national and regional firms before moving to Durrants. She regularly undertakes a range of professional work including Red Book Valuations, Rural Estate Management and Farm Agency.

“One of the advantages of working with us is that we have experts across every aspect of property, whether it’s Agricultural, Commercial, Residential or Building Consultancy. It’s so important that our clients can tap into the knowledge we have across a range of services so they can receive the best advice.”

To find out more about the range of services Durrants can provide, click on our dedicated sections for Agricultural, Commercial, Building Consultancy and Residential.

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Consultation for a new NPPF is underway

On 22^nd December 2022, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities launched its consultation on proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Last updated in 2021, the NPPF is the starting point for all planning decisions and policies in England, and its content can significantly influence the ways in which our built and natural environments (and our local plans) evolve.

The consultation, which closes on 2^nd March 2023, seeks to clarify housing delivery figures, promote beautiful homes, ensure food security and encourage onshore wind development, among other goals.

We have summarised the key proposed changes below.

1. A relaxation of housing delivery targets for local authorities

Whilst the 5 year land supply (the requirement for local authorities to demonstrate a 5 year supply of land for housing at all times) remains, it has been tweaked slightly so that authorities with an up-to-date local plan (i.e. less than 5 years old) do not need to demonstrate a 5YHLS. The current buffers in place are proposed for removal, and LPAs can also allow for historic over (and under) delivery when calculating their housing needs figures.

The current presumption in favour of sustainable development remains intact, but again an amendment is proposed which would allow this to be waived where development would result in inappropriate density, or where a neighbourhood plan is in place and is less than 5 years old (this was formerly 2 years).

Overall, this is a fairly significant relaxation of housing delivery policy, despite the government reiterating their aim to deliver 300,000 homes per year by the mid-2020s – a figure which has not been achieved since the 1960s.

2. More focus on beauty and the continued focus on design codes

Several insertions are proposed to encourage planning for beautiful buildings, over and above the previous wording of ‘well-designed’.

Whilst design codes were a feature of the 2021 NPPF, they have now been inserted in a more explicit manner – for example, it is now proposed that ‘the primary means’ of ‘improving the design of development’ is through the use of local design codes.

3. Climate change

Despite the claims of the consultation documentation, no new mentions of ‘climate change’ or the ‘environment’ are proposed. However, more support for renewable energy schemes and improvements to existing buildings is offered. A new section on onshore wind is proposed, allowing such development to be granted without planning permission where there is local support.

And for anyone who is wondering, there is no mention of street votes in the new NPPF!

The consultation is open until 2^nd March 2023, with the revised NPPF due later this Spring.

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If wishes were sales, sellers would move

This time last year Russia hadn’t set foot on Ukrainian soil, the chickens were still to come home to roost for Boris Johnson, we had hardly heard of Liz Truss and were barely out from Covid restrictions: nor had interest rates reached a 14-year high or the nurses, train drivers, postal workers, etc., embarked on strike action. Also, the property market was only showing tentative signs of cooling.

It is difficult to imagine now how the property sector could not have been greatly affected by all that happened at home and abroad during 2022.

Yet despite all the political and economic turmoil, the property market is still active. If anything, the market has reached a more normal level of activity. It’s just that most activity is down to the doers and not the wait-and-seers.

There are two ways to sell property. The first is to let it happen. That has been fine over the past few years when all many had to do was to open the door to lots of open-house viewers and then bask in the flood of cash offers that ensued.

The second way to sell a house is to make it happen. Now that the market has turned in favour of buyers, sellers can’t sit back; they have to take the initiative. So, to location, location, location as a strong buying feature we must add price, price, price and condition, condition, condition.

Just as the recent seasonal festivities wouldn’t happen without people taking control and putting up decorations and cooking meals, a property won’t sell without some effort from sellers to prepare it for the market. If that means setting a competitive asking price and keeping a welcoming exterior and neat and spotless interior, then so be it.

Good estate agents are doers by nature, training and experience. But they can’t do it alone, they need their clients’ support and agreement. This teamwork is essential to get things done. To make things happen in the property market in 2023, don’t be a wisher be a doer.

We wish all our clients and friends a very positive, healthy and happy New Year.

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The new interest rate rise is set to do good things for the housing market

When most people hear the phrase – interest rate rise, they immediately panic and worry about higher bills and extra expenses at the end of each month, then have a good rant about how horrid and expensive everything is getting. Every cloud has a silver lining, though, and the good news is this could do a lot of good for the housing market.

It’s no secret that we have had it good for a long time. Interest rates through the pandemic have been at an all-time low. In fact, many argue that they have been so good that it’s been too much of a good thing. We all know too much of a good thing has bad consequences!

Many experts have said that because interest rates have been so low, it has caused the instability that we have endured this year with nine consecutive rises.

So how is this good news for you?

Mortgage interest rates are falling and are set to fall further.

This small increase in the base interest rate should not affect your mortgage interest rate. In fact, interest rates for mortgages are steadily falling, with some experts predicting that five-year fixed-rate mortgage interest rates will gradually decrease in 2023, before settling below 4%. So don’t worry about higher base rate interest rates, they do not always directly affect your mortgage interest rate.

Stability

The base rate set by the Bank of England has peaked for this year. Therefore, 2023 should offer much more stability, certainly for the first quarter. This will mean a more stable housing market, which means buyers and sellers can remain confident about making their moves. It should also mean that the 2023 housing market will get off to a good start!

Confidence

As mortgage markets rebalance, property markets stabilise instead of enduring instability. More realistic and stable interest rates returning to the levels of pre-pandemic norms encourage long-term confidence and investment. That means you can move and invest, taking the long-term view that there will be fewer bumps in the road.

Demand is still strong

Forgetting the world’s current obsession with interest rates, perhaps it’s easy to overlook the obvious. The demand for property is still relatively high compared to the shortage in supply. You don’t need to be an economist to know that this will keep house prices healthy!

The future is looking good

With strong demand, stability, and confidence all looking promising, now is a great time to start putting your future property plans into action.

Demand for rented accommodation is still growing and is likely to continue that way, offering very healthy investment opportunities, even if there are more challenging times ahead.

Even if house prices fall in the next 1-2 years, over the next five years, many expect house prices to gradually and steadily grow.

Putting the onus on quality and a healthy, long-term, and sustainable investment is the way of the future. Making houses and rented accommodations more desirable means improving the quality of life, instead of making a quick profit.

Are you looking to move home, make your first step on the property ladder, or want to invest in a great buy-to-let opportunity? Contact Durrants today.

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Santa visits Wymondham Rugby Club minis

Durrants again joined in the fun when Father Christmas visited Wymondham Rugby Club minis section on Sunday 18^th December.

Father Christmas was greeted by all the different age groups and handed out gifts sponsored by Durrants.

Durrants Managing Director and chair of Wymondham Rugby Club Minis, Dominic Parravani said: “Father Christmas always visits the children on the last Sunday before Christmas and its a lovely family day to start off the festive season.

“Durrants are delighted to be able to add to the fun.”

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Durrants Christmas Jumper Day beats charity target

Durrants Christmas Jumper Day was a great success with team members from right across the company wearing festive knitwear and raising money for Save The Children.

£150 was raised on the day with the Government promising to match donations with an equal amount, so £300 will be going to the organisation so they can help mums and babies stay healthy, and giving them the chance of the future they deserve.

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Race report: Scottish Borders Hill Rally

Durrants have recently pledged their support to Diss-based Planner, Jasmine Philpott, in her off-road car racing pursuit. Here’s the latest updates on her progress in events around the UK. This time: the Scottish Borders Hill Rally.

The Scottish Borders Hill Rally is a season highlight for anyone in the offroad community. It takes place at the stunning 11,000 acre Forrest Estate near Dumfries and is the most challenging event of the year.

Taking place over two days, including into the night, the event is demanding on driver, co-driver and race car, and finishing is an achievement in itself.

Unlike comp safaris, this event is run like a rally, but with unique stages driven completely blind, with no pace notes. The event uses rally timing clocks, meaning every minute of your weekend is against the clock, from leaving parc ferme, to entering the stage, to your pitstops in between sections. You are penalised for being both late and early, and if you have a mechanical failure, you only have between 30 and 45 minutes to fix it.

I have attempted this event four times including this year, and have finished it once. In 2018 I had every sort of mechanical failure imaginable – throttle cable breakage, cambelt failure, gearbox implosion (which we fixed!) and finally a very embarrassing fuel shortage after a big hold up on a stage. 2019 saw the worst crash I have had in my life – I came off the track at speed and hit a tree on my side, which took some time to recover from, and my co-driver broke his foot. The event didn’t run in 2020 due to Covid, and in 2021 I finally had my first hill rally finish.

This year, I asked an experienced female Norwegian navigator to join me via Instagram. I was thrilled that she accepted my offer, and booked her flights to Manchester that day.

I felt a lot of pressure to finish the event, with Anette coming so far and at considerable cost. It’s an expensive weekend once entry fee, accommodation and fuel is factored in. One of the harsh truths of the hill rally is that mechanical failure is very likely. The event comes at the very end of the season, when the cars have been raced all year and are due some TLC. Expecting them to then finish the equivalent of 3 comp safaris in one weekend is therefore pretty ambitious!

Anette and I were the only all-female team entered, so I was aiming for a finish so that we could win the women’s award. It was freezing cold, and a few miles into the first stage we were soaked through from water flooding into the car through one of many water splashes. We made a good team, and were climbing up the leaderboard as the day progressed.

The last stage of leg 2 was amazing – very fast, open, and with amazing views (not that I was looking anywhere but ahead!). We were about three quarters of the way round when suddenly the oil pressure light came on and the dial dropped to 0. Generally this is a sign of imminent engine failure. I backed off but could not feel or hear a change in the engine, so decided it was potentially a faulty sensor. We continued for another 5 miles at race speed without issue.

During the break between Leg 2 and 3, we agreed that we may as well carry on and risk engine failure, because the engine is rebuilt every winter in any case. The third leg on day 1 runs into the night, so we put our lights on, stuck some duct tape over the oil pressure light and headed out. The car was running so well, so it was absolutely devastating when I started to hear an ominous clicking sound as we navigated a technical quarry section. It started to lose power, and then came the smoke, and we knew it was time to pull over before it blew up.

Where we parked up was beautiful, but on the top of a hill and absolutely freezing. We had to wait for the stage to finish before enduring the tow of shame back to the pits.

It is hard to know where we would have finished, but we were in 18^th (out of 49) at the end of stage 3. Only 29 competitors finished the event, which makes me feel a bit better!

I am hoping to upgrade my car entirely over the winter to a brand new version of what I already have, with a faster engine. Next year I will also be competing in 4 European Bajas in the Excite car – hopefully Spain, Portugal, Poland and potentially Greece, alongside comp safaris in my own.

I’m so grateful to Durrants for their support this year, and am thrilled that they have offered to sponsor me again for 2023.

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Make Do

Let’s face it, we are all trying to find ways of making a pound stretch a little further these days.

For home sellers the best way is to make their properties worth more. That might sound like an expensive exercise, but it really needn’t be.

To add more value the first thing you need to do is to find more room. So, make some more room. Declutter. Everything you don’t need in your home that isn’t beautiful, useful or valuable is hiding extra space from a potential buyer. Put another way, everything you take out in a pre-sale declutter can make your property more attractive to a purchaser.

Now for the hard work. But it still won’t cost you anything apart from a bottle of Mr Muscle or two (other products are available). Clean your house as if our late queen were coming for tea. Clean all of it – every corner, nook and cranny – especially the kitchen and bathroom. Clean and polish your property as if achieving the best price depends on it – because it does.

It will take a week or two to do all this properly, but it will be worth it.

Once that’s finished, if you have a friend who is good with interiors invite them around and pick their brains. Don’t be embarrassed; an amateur interior designer likes nothing more than primping someone else’s cushions. Your property has become a business in which you happen to live. Choose a highly experienced estate agent who will also be delighted to make some buyer-friendly suggestions. You want to get the best price, so listen to good advice.

Now take a look at your freshly polished home. If you are so thrilled that you think it belongs to someone else or you are tempted not to sell at all but stay put, then you know you have done a great job and that viewers will be impressed.

You could add a loft extension, build a fabulous rear room with bi-fold doors to the garden, dig out a basement room, re-fit the kitchen and bathroom, engage a firm of professional cleaners or hire stagers. But self-cleaning and de-cluttering is always the most cost-effective way to get more for your property. And remember, with many more houses and flats coming onto the market, your home will be lining up in a competitive race to the completion line.

In WWII, there was a phrase, make do and mend. If you are selling your property in these straitened times a phrase for now could be, make do and polish.

Find out below why Durrants is different and how we are the perfect fit when it comes to selling your home.

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Celebrating Beccles Switch On

Durrants Beccles were glad to help support and sponsor this year’s Beccles Christmas light switch on!

The annual event welcomes over 7000 people into the town to enjoy the start of the festive season.

Durrants Beccles office was open as always, and our mulled wine and hot mince pies were welcomed by clients old and new.

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Durrants at the heart of Halesworth Christmas Lights

Saturday 19^th November was Halesworth’s annual Christmas Lights switch-on.

The event is organised and run by Durrants’ very own Mother Christmas, Teresa Walsh.

The evening saw the Leiston Royal British Legion band lead Father Christmas and the parade through the packed streets. The lights were turned on, as is tradition, outside our Durrants Halesworth office to much applause and cheering.

A huge thank you from Durrants to Teresa and all the team for all their hard work and effort in making the evening such a success.

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Durrants Reydon property receives national interest

A contemporary home in Reydon, marketed by Durrants, has received national interest after an article on the Mail Online website.

Undoubtedly, one feature inside the house is what caused the most attention – an indoor slide! The slide from the first floor to ground floor offers an exciting alternative to taking the other staircase.

The Mail Online picked up on this quirky addition to the family home and featured it on their website, helping to make it the most viewed property on our own website this week.

Of course, the property has a lot more going for it than just a slide. This strikingly modern coastal home has been subject to an extensive extension, re-design and refurbishment. Previously a modest bungalow, it was overhauled by the current owner in 2016 to provide a contemporary seaside home with four bedrooms, three bathrooms and modern open plan living featuring a great outdoor seating area.

Contact our Southwold office on 01502 723292 if you would like a viewing.

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What has happened in the property market during the last 50 years?

It’s no secret that today’s property market is thriving at peak buoyancy, with record house prices and demand going through the roof, which is why it’s easy to overlook the history of the market which brought us to this point.

However, while the market reaches a fruitful era for both buyers and sellers, there are notable periods of buoyancy over the last 50 years which could put things into further perspective.

While the market continues to change and grow in today’s climate, in order to look forward and predict future trends, it’s important to look back. New research from GetAgent tracked house price data going back as far as the 1970s, adjusting for inflation, to see which decade has been the most fruitful for the nation’s homeowners.

The research delves back into January 2010, when the average UK house price was £167,469, and climbed to £231,792 by the end of the decade at a 38.4% increase. However, after adjusting for inflation, the rate of house price growth recorded between January 2010 and December 2019 sits at around 14.8%, which was the second lowest rate of house price growth in any of the past five decades.

In fact, it’s only been the 90s, when the market has posted the worst performance, with house prices increasing by just 9.7% after adjusting for inflation.

The noughties was by no means, a bad decade for homebuyers, but it still ranks just third where inflation-adjusted house price growth is concerned, with the average UK house price rising by a notable 66.8%.

The research placed the 70’s in second place of the ranking, with house prices climbing by 69.8% after adjusting for inflation, leaving the 80’s to be crowned the best decade to have bought a home.

After adjusting for inflation, the average UK house price was just £66,783 back in January 1980. By the end of the decade, the cost of buying bricks and mortar had climbed to £127,207, a 90.5% increase.

Colby Short, Co-founder and CEO of GetAgent.co.uk, commented: “There’s plenty of reasons why we may argue one decade was better than the rest, but when it comes to house price appreciation, the eighties takes it by some margin.”

“Even after adjusting for inflation, today’s generation of homebuyers may well find it unfathomable that the average home cost just shy of £67,000 back in 1980. So, while today’s buyers have had to contend with some of the lowest levels of housing affordability in history, they may well spare a thought for those who saw the cost of buying increase at such an alarming rate during their lifetime.”

“With the market currently running red hot and no end in sight despite the wider economic landscape, it will certainly be interesting to see where we finish by the end of this decade, and if the eighties will finally be relieved of the crown when it comes to the highest rate of house price appreciation in a single decade.”

Find out below why Durrants is different and how we are the perfect fit when it comes to selling your home.

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World Town Planning Day

Today marks World Town Planning Day, a celebration of the role that good planning plays in improving lives, which has run since 1949.

Recent World Town Planning Days have increasingly focussed on climate change, with 2022’s UK theme being resilience, and how planners can enable communities to respond to the shocks and stresses of our time.

The Durrants Building Consultancy Team are reflecting on the role we can play in achieving this goal, particularly in a rural context.

A great example of a current sustainable projects is an application we have recently made with our client Privilege Finance for an anaerobic digestion plant in East Suffolk, which generates renewable energy from food waste. This is particularly pertinent given the Government commitment to roll out separate household and commercial food waste collection across the country by next year.

We are also working with our clients Pure Eco Homes and Hemspan to deliver sustainable housing utilising hemp technology to the wider market. Finally, we are working with regional food producers to approve their developments which will reduce food miles and provide fresh British produce.

Join the campaign and share your stories about the positive impact of planning in building more resilient cities and communities wherever you are in the world.

#WTPD #WorldTownPlanningDay2022 #UrbanResilience #ClimateAction #climateresilience #PlanTheWorldWeNeed

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Durrants support Harleston fireworks

Durrants are proud to once again sponsor the Harleston Fireworks display, which is being held on Friday 4 November 2022 at The Harleston Sancroft Academy.

The event has been kindly organised by Dan MacDonald and will raise funds for the Harleston Sancroft Academy.

Gates are open from 6pm with music, drink and food available before the fireworks at 7pm. Tickets can be purchased on the night for £5.00 with under 5’s free.

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Opposing Forces

Dominic Parravani of Durrants examines the conflicting forces that are affecting the property market in the run up to Christmas.

The property market is changing. This can hardly come as a surprise to anyone, as so many other things in our lives are changing almost on a daily basis – the prime minister, government policies, mortgage interest rates, the cost of living, and public and commercial confidence.

How is all this change affecting the property market? Less than one might think. Most evidence seems to point to a swing from a strong sellers’ market to a moderate buyers’ market. Moderate because there are still powerful but sometimes opposing forces at work, such as low numbers of properties on the market, which are keeping house prices reasonably buoyant. This lack of inventory could well be the economy at work, but with Christmas on the horizon it could also have something to do with the time of year. So, we won’t have a more accurate picture of this until the new year.

Estate agents expect fewer deals to fall-through over the next few months. Active buyers want to keep hold of their current mortgage offers and see through purchases rather than risk re-applying at higher interest rates. But, over time, higher interest rates will become the norm and bring new pressures for most, including many thousands of homeowners coming off fixed-rate mortgages next year. But we should remember that interest rates are still below the thirty-year average.

The energy crisis might encourage some homeowners to lower costs by downsizing, thereby bringing larger properties onto the market. But many first-time buyers will have to wait longer until they have enough money to afford higher mortgage costs, so this could create a log-jam further up the property ladder.

All in all, it’s a bit of a mess. The property sector and housing generally need stability. We have had a different housing minister nearly every year since the start of this century and five in the past two years. So, for a start, our new premier could try and keep a housing minister in place for the next forty-eight months.

Yet, despite all this, buyers are buying and sellers are selling. Life continues, and the property market is undoubtedly functioning as it should in these circumstances. Why? Because this beautiful, funny, proud, eccentric, bickering, ever-tribal, gloriously diverse and wonderful kingdom is still a fabulous place in which to buy a property.

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Race report: 24th – 25th September – Stone Enduro

Durrants have recently pledged their support to Diss-based Planner, Jasmine Philpott, in her off-road car racing pursuit. Here’s the first of some occasional updates on her progress in events around the UK. This time: the Stone Enduro.

Keen not to miss out on driving this event in my own car, I decided to enter both the Warrior and the Excite car in the Stone Enduro, a comp safari hosted by Staffs and Shrops Land Rover Club. My choice meant twice the driving and half the rest. Ignoring all the ‘good luck’s and ‘you’re mad’s, I arrived at the farm mid-morning on the Saturday, dog and boyfriend in tow, ready for the challenge.

I quickly had a shock that made me regret my decision. The ‘enduro’ part of the title of this event apparently meant not only 2 days of racing, with night runs, but also what’s known as a ‘split and merge’, whereby instead of completing one lap at a time, you re-join the course and repeat it twice before crossing the finish line. They were planning to do 8 runs on each day. I already knew that meant 32 runs for me driving two cars, so to see this number double to 64 was quite alarming. Too late to back out now!

I walked the 6-mile course with my two navigators (one per car) – this is important because both of you need to know the route, and agree certain things, such as lines and speed. There are no pace notes allowed in comp safaris, so it’s always good to walk the course at least once.

We made it back from the walk in time to sign on and get both cars scrutineered, a process in which the car is checked for compliance with MSUK safety standards. Driver’s briefing was next, and I was thrilled to hear that they had removed the split and merge. Apparently, a lot of people were complaining because they hadn’t brought enough fuel for double the anticipated mileage!

I was under strict instructions not to scrape, damage or crash the Excite car, and to take it very easy, whereas the Warrior is my own car and therefore my problem if I damage it. Cars are set off in order of speed, so I went out in the Warrior in the top 10, got back, had some water and wiped the dirt from my face, then sprinted over to the Excite camp and took that car round. I was very busy, but it worked.

The two cars are like night and day – like driving a Fast-Trak and then getting into an Aston Martin. But, the principles are the same, and the Excite car is a much more relaxing drive than the Warrior. It is hard to explain to anyone the physicality of racing at top speed on such rough terrain – everything hurts, your fitness has to be excellent, and you need a day off to recover and stop aching.

The Excite car ran without any mechanical issues at all. It’s a slow car, designed for wading across dunes, not zipping around British farmland. The Warrior however is aggressive, loud and perfectly built for the conditions. The weekend passed without any significant dramas, apart from me only just setting off for my last lap in time for the cut-off of 3pm (I think I went off the line at 2:58). The exhaustion started to set in as I stood in a daze during prizegiving, only to find I won 2^nd in class in the Excite car and 3^rd in class in my own.

Next event: Walters Arena, 8-9^th October.

Find out more about Jasmine Philpott and her Dakar Rally mission

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Durrants annual Charity Clay Shoot

The winning team being presented with the winner’s trophy and prizes.

As always, Durrants annual charity clay shoot had the most wonderful autumn day by kind invitation of Phillip Kidner of Red House Farm, St Margret South Elmham.

The charity event is a firm fixture in the calendar welcoming an eclectic mix of local clients and fellow professionals.

The year’s event was won with a high score of 297/300 which is an amazing achievement.

Our charity of the year is Prostate Cancer and monies raised from the shoot will be going to them to fund vital research.

Thank you to all from Durrants who helped run the day, and the BBQ for all their efforts.

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Cookley & Walpole Community funding

Funds from Durrants Charity Foundation have been presented to Cookley & Walpole parishes to help with the running of two electric bikes!

The community electric bikes project has been running since 2015, based in Cookley & Walpole parishes. The launch included a competition to choose names for the two bikes. The winning names were “Dina” and “Mo” – by which they’ve been known as ever since.

The main intended (and actual) uses of the bikes, for which they are loaned out free of charge, are:

To save carbon by using the bikes instead of cars or motor bikes. [From detailed monitoring during the first two years of use, we estimate the ebikes have saved approximately 50kg of CO2 per year – a total of 350kg since the project started].
To help overcome social isolation for people who don’t have cars.

Durrants were delighted to help with this very worthy local cause and the cheque was handed over by Gabi Wones from our Halesworth office.

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Henham Steam Rally

Durrants were delighted to be back at this year’s Henham Steam Rally, after an absence of two years due to Covid.

Always a firm favourite, the crowds returned to support this popular local event. As in the past, Durrants sponsored the Rally and teams from across our offices manned our stand, entertaining clients old and new.

“The Henham Steam Rally has been raising funds for local good causes for nearly 50 years, and it’s my personal favourite event to attend and support”, said Durrants Managing Director Dominic Parravani. “We are all already looking forward to next year! Number 47!”

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Durrants sponsor in-house Planning Consultant on Dakar Rally mission

Always eager to encourage employees in their interests outside of work, Durrants have recently pledged their support to Diss-based Planner, Jasmine Philpott, in her off-road car racing pursuit.

Comp safari events are single-venue, off-road races in which between 30 and 50 drivers tackle a rough, fast course in a variety of different vehicles, from budget-friendly modified Land Rovers to 600bhp prototypes. Nearly all vehicles are 4×4, with classes defined according to suspension type and engine size.

This year has also seen her join Excite Rally Raid as the main driver of their desert-racing-spec Mitsubishi Pajero. The team are aiming to be the first all-female British team to finish the world-famous Dakar Rally. This year has included some practice events, mainly focussing on exposure in order to raise sponsorship, with a view to compete in European Bajas in 2023 and begin training for desert racing thereafter.

Jasmine has agreed to provide regular race reports on her events this year, so keep an eye on the blog and our social media pages for more. You can also follow her journey on Instagram @offroadjasmine

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The A to D of the Property Market

Dominic Parravani of Durrants looks at how to manage the property market when world events seem overwhelming.

If ever we needed a crash course on how world events affect our daily lives, the past few months have provided us with a masterclass.

From the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its economic aftermath to our monarch and prime minister changing in a few weeks, there has been national bewilderment.

Of course, our press has done a great job in alerting us to all the dreadful things that could make things even worse, and this fanning of the flames of fear has sent shockwaves through all sorts of markets, including property.

But there are property market drivers that neither the press or the Russian president can affect because they have no control over such matters. These are the A to D of the property market.

A is for ambition – the personal ambition to live somewhere better, bigger, smaller, prettier, more convenient, more rural or urban.
B is for birth – as our families grow, we need more space.
C is for consolidation – people getting together to cohabit or downsizing after children have left home.
D is for death, debt and divorce – those three drivers on their own stimulate a high proportion of movement in the market.

Back in the 1980s we learned that the people we could rely on in a tough property market were ourselves, our families and our friends. Also, our estate agents. The reference to estate agents is not a glib remark: right now, with interest rates rising, lenders panicking, and buyers and sellers rightly concerned, it is the steady hand of an experienced estate agent that will provide focused calm and wise counsel.

If you are wondering about the right time to buy or sell property, remember the A to D of the property market. Individually we are not driven by war or a fallen monarch, and we shouldn’t be persuaded by rising or falling house prices. Instead, we should be driven by what is best for us as individuals.

When is the best time to buy or sell a property? Within the constraints of affordability it should be when it is most suitable for us and our families.

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March the Month for Prostate Cancer UK

Durrants are thrilled to announce a final total of £1880.32 will be donated to Prostate Cancer UK thanks to the efforts of Tracy Walker in our Holiday Cottages team.

One in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. It’s a life changing diagnosis, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Throughout September Tracy has been raising money to help fund lifesaving research and support services for men and their families affected by the disease. The March the Month challenge saw Tracy undertake 11,000 steps each day to represent the number of men who lose their lives to the disease every year.

Tracy commented: “As a family we know only too well the devastating feeling when you are told a loved one has prostate cancer. I have learnt an awful lot in a short space of time about the varying stages of the disease and how it is tackled with different treatments.”

“As well as wanting to raise money to fund the continuing research and treatments, I also wanted to raise awareness so each day throughout September I donned my Prostate Cancer UK t-shirt and explored Reydon and Southwold. The first few days made everything seem very real and quite emotional, not something I expected.”

“The final day landed on the Macmillan Cancer Support coffee morning and cake sale, I couldn’t have asked for better timing. I aimed to hit the final 11,000 target by lunchtime, so I could not only celebrate with my supportive colleagues in the office, but also eat cake to regain my energy levels!”

Tracy excelled herself and her final step total was 416,853 resulting in 164.7 miles walked and £940.16 raised.

All of the team at Durrants are incredibly proud of what Tracy has achieved and we will be matching her personal total to bring the final amount raised to £1880.32. Well done Tracy!

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Durrants overturns planning refusal for rural workers dwelling

The Durrants team are celebrating an excellent win on behalf of their client this week after securing full planning permission for a rural workers dwelling in Rumburgh, East Suffolk.

The application was made in order to allow an engineering company to continue to operate their agricultural machinery maintenance business by living on site. Durrants Building Consultancy’s in-house architects provided the supporting plans and the planning team produced the supporting planning documentation, including the Planning, Design and Access Statement.

Policy WLP8.11 of the Waveney Local Plan sets a high threshold to allow new homes in the countryside for rural workers. Applications must demonstrate an essential functional need which cannot be met by other nearby housing. The question of functional need is often, as in this case, mistakenly interpreted as applying to maintaining the welfare of livestock, excluding agricultural support services. However, Durrants outlined in the planning statement and committee speech that this is a misconception, and that both local and national policy support housing for anyone who needs to live close to their place of work in the countryside, regardless of the nature of that work. In this case the company provides agricultural machinery maintenance services to 400 clients across East Anglia.

Durrants Building Consultancy set out a clear case for approval in the planning submission, including site security, business efficiency (particularly relating to a 24/7 call-out service) and sustainability. The application received letters of support from local residents, business owners, and the support of the parish council and ward members. The application was recommended for refusal by the case officer on the basis that no functional need had been demonstrated.

However, thanks to successful lobbying, the application was referred to full planning committee, where it was subject to a thorough debate by members and ultimately approved. One of the most compelling reasons for approval which emerged during the debate was site security. Members recognised the rise in rural crime and the value of living on site in preventing theft. Secondary to this was the crucial role that the applicant’s business plays in the local agricultural sector, and the importance that planning decisions play in supporting rural farming communities.

We are thrilled for our client, and pleased that members were able to see that rural workers policies are designed to be permissive in appropriate circumstances, not preventative.

Rural workers dwellings can be contentious, but with the right team of experts and a strategic approach, it is possible to secure a home close to your place of work in the countryside, and we would encourage anyone who is considering applying to get in touch with our team to discuss your ambitions.

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CLA East: A zero-carbon performing home

Durrants were recently invited to attend an event by CLA East to show how a 25 year old chicken shed was converted to a zero-carbon home. Nick Woolley and his wife Saffy shared with Durrants Principal Planner, Jonny Rankin, the challenges and successes they faced during the conversion process.

Planning permission initially came to life via a Class Q Prior Approval, which will be very familiar to Durrants clients. Class Q’s are a Building Consultancy mainstay, with several on the books at any one time.

The chicken shed in question benefitted from a southern elevation allowing for passive solar gain and a large bank of solar panels on the south-facing roof slope.

Having attended events at Woolley’s old HQ in Freckenham, I was aware of Nick’s advocacy for the Hockerton Housing project and the building principles therein. Having retrofitted the previous Old Rectory buildings, in speaking with Nick, I could sense the excitement at the opportunity to start from the ground up – literally – with the chicken shed. Some features we had the pleasure to view included:

300mm thick floor concrete at 300mm, giving an overall ‘U’ value of 0.1*;
300mm of floor to ceiling wall insulation, also giving an overall ‘U’ value of 0.1;
Triple glazed windows;
Epoxy resin wall ties (not steel) preventing thermal losses; and
440mm of insulation under roofing sheets giving a ‘U’ value of 0.055.

Onsite generation is key to the success of the zero-carbon performing home and we were abvle to view the 75 solar panels (27kWh maximum energy production) and the 3 Tesla Powerwall batteries.

All heating is solar powered, delivered by underfloor heating – only required in colder months absence solar gain.

Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MHVR) is something we are also employing for clients on some of our current planning applications and builds and we were able to view the Vent-Axia unit chosen by Nick and Saffy. The MHVR unit changes air throughout the building roughly every four hours, exchanging ‘old’ air whilst retaining up to 80% of the heat, heating the incoming air.

Rain-water harvesting (from roof space and guttering) is collected in a 6000 litre underground storage tank. The water is then filtered and fed back into domestic use. Hot water is provide by a 450 litre, highly insulated tank, reducing the energy required to heat the water by as much as 43%.

Smart-operating Velux windows open in reaction to extreme temperatures and also close when it rains.

Particularly topical for some of our clients in this time of Nutrient Neutrality is the private sewage treatment works employed. Sewage is treated by a double, in-tandem septic tank system – which alone would treat effluent sufficiently. Thereafter, however, a reedbed filtration pond (complete with Water Voles and Frogs) removes the remaining nutrients ‘standard’ septic tanks and public sewage treatment works are currently struggling with. An important technological solution for many of our clients.

We continue to engage with the CLA and other partners to ensure we are best able to support our clients, deploy the best technologies and offer the best service possible through Durrants Building Consultancy.

The friendly team at Durrants Building Consultancy are always happy to discuss your plans and help you get your project off the ground. There is more information about our services here, but please get in touch with our Building Consultancy team to find out more on 01379 646603.

* Thermal transmittance, also known as U-value, is the rate of transfer of heat through a structure (which can be a single material or a composite), divided by the difference in temperature across that structure. The units of measurement are W/m²K. The better-insulated a structure is, the lower the U-value will be.

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Durrants at Henham Steam Rally this weekend

The Durrants team will be out in force at the ever-popular Grand Henham Steam Rally near Southwold this weekend.

It’s the 46th running of the event which features family entertainment coupled with displays of steam power and other vintage vehicles and machinery. There’s over 1000 exhibits and working demonstrations – and there’s even a chance to steer a steam engine yourself!

Durrants will have a stand at the Rally on both Saturday and Sunday where you can meet members of our team and find out about all the services we provide from our Southwold office.

We look forward to seeing you there if you’re coming along. Gates at Henham Park are open from 10am to 6pm on both days.

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Hot box

Dominic Parravani of Durrants looks at the human side of buying and selling a home.

In the days before technology invaded the estate agency industry – flooding it with helpful and not so helpful ‘proptech’ – estate agents kept buyers’ details written on index cards that were stored in plastic boxes. These were called hot boxes in the trade and all estate agents had them.

Depending on how long buyers had been looking for a property, each card bore the scars of persistent scrutiny and revision. The cards told the stories of individuals or families. Notated were names, contact details, price range information, aspirations, desires, and even dreams. The longer the search, the fuller, more dog-eared and coffee-stained the cards became until they formed part of their subjects’ stories reflecting the struggles to make dreams come true.

Why so much detail on the cards? Because how on earth can you find what someone truly wants in a home unless you’ve asked them and understood their answer?

Nowadays the computer has long overtaken the hot box. In some ways it’s an efficient change. But in other ways it depersonalises the process. You can’t get much more personal than a home and its occupants. A hot box was a list of human beings being human and looking for their safe place.

Strokes on a keyboard rather than scribbled notes have replaced the hot box – the lowest of low tech. But all is not lost. Because the best estate agents still have hot boxes, it’s just that these days they keep them in their heads. They haven’t needed them much over the past few years. But now they are being pressed back into service as the market changes in favour of buyers.

So, when you’re looking for someone to sell your home check out several agents. Find out what they think your property is worth and why. But also discover if their head is a hot box. Ask who’s buying, what they might be able to pay, and why they might want your house. This knowledge is basic estate agency. If someone has to use a computer to match home with buyer they’re in the wrong job, because it still needs a human to understand what another human wants and why.

Durrants would be delighted to provide a free market valuation of your property. To find out what makes Durrants different book a free valuation today.

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Durrants submits representations to East Suffolk rural housing SPD

The consultation period for the ‘Housing in Clusters and Small Scale Residential Development in the Countryside Supplementary Planning Document’ (SPD) closed on Friday 5^thAugust.

The document seeks to provide clarity on the interpretation of the two relevant policies relating to housing in the countryside (i.e. outside of settlement boundaries, but within groups of other dwellings) – SCLP5.4 and WLP8.7. One of the main issues the Council has sought to address in the SPD is the definition of a ‘cluster’ or ‘settlement in the countryside’. Both policies allow for ‘infill’ development in such settlements, i.e. filling in obvious gaps in a continuous built up area.

Despite the local plans both being recently adopted, officer interpretation of the policies has been inconsistent, leading to some unfair decisions for applicants. Durrants represent numerous clients whose applications have been both approved and refused against these policies. Our letter to the Council highlighted some of the inconsistencies in their previous application of policy, and most importantly, some of areas in which the SPD could fail to avoid such issues in the future. These include the acceptable size and nature of a ‘gap’, what constitutes ‘continuous built up frontage’ and how development on one vs two sides of the road is treated.

It is our view that the SPD in its current form will only add to the existing confusion, and that the preferable solution is for officers to decide applications in accordance with SCLP5.4 and WLP8.7, as these policies are both very clear and pro-development.

We have summarised the points made in our representations here and would encourage you to take a look at the SPD online.

Neither the SPD nor the local plans contain any policies allowing settlements with development boundaries to grow – i.e. there is only allowance for infilling of gaps
The definition of a ‘gap’ is still unclear. It appears that infilling a gap containing a garden or farm access is acceptable, but containing a ‘large’ field is not. This needs to be clarified and, importantly, justified.
Confusion over ‘development on both sides’ as per the policy wording, which is contradicted by the diagrams in the SPD.
No position over whether planning approved developments count towards the cluster. We argued in our letter that they absolutely should.
We closed by drawing attention to a recent appeal decision on a house in the countryside, which East Suffolk lost due to their incorrect interpretation of their own policy.

No timescale has been given for the next phase of the consultation process, but Durrants will continue to engage with the process on behalf of our clients. Please do get in touch if you have a potential site that could be captured by these changes.

Jasmine Philpott, Planner

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Government announces intervention in Nutrient Neutrality challenge

On 20^th July, the government announced that the Levelling Up Bill (see our article on this here) will be amended to place a new legal duty on water companies to upgrade treatment works by 2030 in an attempt to reduce water pollution.

Alongside this, Natural England are to introduce a Nutrient Mitigation Scheme, which will see the body develop woodland and wetland areas to offset nutrient pollution. Developers can then by nutrient credits to offset the impact of their proposals.

Though initial advice suggested the scheme would be in place by the autumn, it is now believed that this is in fact when Natural England will begin tendering for the new schemes.

The good news is that SME developers will be prioritised, and developers are still encouraged to provide their own mitigation solutions, with a commitment that Natural England will support, not hinder, such proposals.

This is a very positive step and a sign of swift action from the government. We are still awaiting an announcement from our local councils as to whether they plan to continue with the strategy they outlined in June (see our article on this here).

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One for the Road

Dominic Parravani of Durrants looks at a new property market in the wake of the incomparable past two years.

The thing with changing property markets is that eventually we adapt to each manifestation. Changing markets are a bit like a pandemic. First they are a surprise, next, sadly, some people are harmed by the new normal, and then we learn how to handle the threat.

Then, just when we begin to get comfy, something happens and we have to learn all over again in a new market. This is where we are now.

Property market watchers, looking for signs that the post pandemic property party is over, have been on high alert for some time. But they don’t have to watch too closely as all the signs are there for anyone to see. The days of putting a property on the market at almost any price, and then exceeding that figure in a market awash with cash buyers desperate to move, are over. We may never see their like again – or, at least, not for decades. Today’s buyers are a new breed. Rising mortgage interest rates, the increasing cost of living and an uncertain and often unstable world have led to understandable caution.

So with what sort of new market must we become familiar? There are some interesting patterns emerging. It is becoming more of a buyers’ market. There will be a wider choice for buyers, who will feel less pressured to make their final choices. Sellers will have to become used to delay and uncertainty.

How often have we heard that a property’s three most essential things are location, location, location? Well in this new market those things will become price, price, price. In a market with greater choice attracting a buyer becomes more challenging. There are two ways to overcome this: correct pricing and making your home as buyer-friendly as possible – clean, tidy, decluttered, sweet-smelling and great-looking from the kerb.

Oh, and there is another way to succeed in selling: make sure you have an experienced estate agent who understands how to adapt to changing times and markets.

Finally, sellers shouldn’t despair. The post-pandemic party may be essentially over, but for sellers with a great estate agent, good housekeeping and accurate pricing there is still time for one for the road.

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Introducing Gabrielle Wones

Gabrielle Wones has recently joined Durrants as Assistant Manager in our Halesworth branch.

Gabi entered estate agency after a career change and has worked successfully at a senior level for a number of corporate and independent local estate agents before joining the team at Durrants in May this year.

She said: “I love piecing the puzzle together for someone who is making a move. I love the fact that people who are moving all have different circumstances as to why they are moving, whether it’s a new start or a new baby, and adapting to their requirements.”

Halesworth is very much a growth area for Durrants right now. Gabi says the area has so much to offer: “Halesworth is a lovely area – so close to the coast with a really good community and plenty going on. Character properties are particularly popular at the moment and we are seeing demand for holiday cottages in the area.

“Property in and around Halesworth is more affordable than places such as Southwold for those who would like a base close to the coast, which is only a 15 minute drive away. “

Gabi is looking to maintain Durrants well-known reputation for excellent customer service across all our branches. “I pride myself in the customer service we offer to clients,” she says, “…and we try to hold their hands through the process, making it as stress-free as possible.”

To arrange a valuation of your home or a viewing of a property, please contact our Halesworth branch on 01986 872553 or email halesworth@durrants.com.

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Fundraising success for Diss Community First Responders at Carnival

Thank you to everyone who came along and visited us at this year’s Diss Carnival. We’re pleased to announce that your generosity helped us raise £143 for Diss Community First Responders.

It was the icing on the cake for us on what was a great day out for everyone. We’re grateful to anyone who dropped coins into collection boxes or took part in our Hook a Duck game which proved very popular.

The Community First Responders are all volunteers and many of us will know how vital the service is in assisting potential life threatening emergencies and stabilising patients in the time before an ambulance crew can arrive and take over.

It was great for us all to be back out in our community again and we’re already looking forward to another great Carnival and Fun Day next year.

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Durrants at the Royal Norfolk Show

This year’s Royal Norfolk Show was a celebration of everything that is great about the county and we were thrilled to be part of the show on its return after the COVID hiatus.

The Durrants stand was well attended on both days of the show and we were pleased to speak to hundreds of people about our wide range of services. Our Agricultural team were able to catch up with many familiar faces we work with in sales and lettings, estate management and auctions; our Building Consultancy team were on hand to field enquiries about our planning, architect and surveying services, and members of our Residential team were there to help with advice of buying and selling property.

The drinks party at the end of the first day was a great success and there was plenty to do for all the family on the stand – including our popular Jenga challenge!

It really was a feeling that life is getting back to normal again. We’re already pencilling in 28th and 29th June for next year’s Norfolk Show and can’t wait to return to the Norfolk Showground.

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Rural Housing Week shines a spotlight on affordable housing

This year’s Rural Housing Week seeks to highlight the role of housing associations (who deliver and manage affordable housing) in achieving ‘levelling up’ in rural areas. The provision of more affordable housing in rural areas is seen by many experts as key to reducing poverty in the countryside.

Despite its beauty and desirability, rural Britain faces unique economic and social challenges. Homelessness, poverty, an ageing population, low incomes and unaffordable housing are among some of the hidden issues facing our countryside.

For example, rural homelessness has risen by 115% in the past two years, with 20,000 homeless families in England, but the real figure is likely to be much higher. Similarly, more than 40% of households in rural Wales live in fuel poverty, compared with 22% in urban areas.

One of the aims of Rural Housing Week is to raise awareness of these challenges, and to highlight the benefits that affordable housing can bring to everyone living and working in the countryside.

Changing perceptions is an important part of this aim. Misconceptions about affordable housing mean that some communities do not welcome developments to their area, fearing antisocial neighbours or a dip in their property value.

To do our bit, we’ve set out some of the common myths about affordable housing below and tried to give an honest answer on whether they are myth or fact, or indeed, a bit of both.

1. Affordable housing isn’t even affordable. Mostly myth.

Affordable housing is an umbrella term that covers lots of different types of housing, which can get confusing. The most common are social rented, affordable rented and shared ownership. Rents are set as a percentage of open market values, and social rented is cheaper than affordable rent, which can be up to 80% of market value. Shared ownership is a method of home purchase whereby the housing association sells the purchaser between 25% and 75% of the property. The purchaser then pays rent on the remaining share, often with the option of buying more equity over time. So in conclusion, ‘affordable’ is a relative term, but affordable housing is certainly much cheaper than market housing and is aimed at those who cannot afford to buy or rent at market value.

2. It will lower the tone of the area and impact property values. Myth.

It’s important to remember that affordable housing tends to include a mix of rented and shared ownership housing, meaning your neighbours could be from a variety of backgrounds. The maximum income threshold to quality for a Shared Ownership home is £80,000, and ‘affordable rent’ (the most common type of rented tenure) is capped at 80% of market rent. This means it is much more likely that your new neighbours will be local working people, including young professionals, low income workers and elderly/retired people.

There is also no evidence that affordable housing reduces house prices – in fact, it often improves the vitality of an area and therefore enhances values.

3. Affordable housing doesn’t go to local people. Myth.

It is unusual for affordable housing to go to people out of an area, because local need is generally very high. Most parishes have a Local Lettings Plan, which prioritises local people, rather than operating a first-come-first-served approach.

The slight exception is social rented housing, which goes to those in dire need – women fleeing domestic violence, people who have been made homeless etc. It is the cheapest form of rented housing in the UK and tends to be used on a short-term basis. In most cases it will go to local people, but if someone from out of the area is in desperate need, there is a chance it could go to them.

4. Affordable housing tenants will be antisocial. Myth.

One of the great things about having affordable housing tenants as neighbours is that they rent from a Registered Provider, so if you’re having issues with a tenant, you can speak directly to their landlord and resolve the problem. Compare this to a neighbour who owns their home – your only options are to confront them directly or to escalate things to the Council or the Police.

Final thoughts

If you have land in a rural area which doesn’t meet the policy requirements for development, consider promoting it for affordable housing instead. You will still achieve an enhanced land receipt compared to its agricultural value, and help sustain a rural community at the same time.

Give our team a call to discuss your next project on 01379 642233 or email us at buildingconsultancy@durrants.com

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Events…

Dominic Parravani of Durrants takes a look at what’s important in a confusing property market.

Asked what he thought would define his premiership, Prime Minister Harold McMillan famously replied, “Events, dear boy, events”.

It is much the same with the property market. Events largely control turnover and turnover affects prices – up or down.

There are major events like world wars and global pandemics and inconveniences like fuel and food shortages, interest rate hikes and cost of living rises. But it might surprise you to learn that the events which so often drive the property market are not global or even national: they are personal. They are births, deaths, beginning cohabitation or ending cohabitation, stage of life changes, ambition, career success and career failure. These everyday events create a need or desire to move on or move in.

They will always be with us no matter what is going on in the world or which government is in power. When a government – any government – dabbles in the property market, the result is usually a massive hangover once the policy party is over.

No, the market is best left to home buyers and sellers. Right now we seem to be in a state of zero gravity. We are floating between price rises and price drops, as the lack of property for sale is counteracted by the rising cost of living, garnished with some pretty momentous global news.

Put it this way; if you wait for global events to stabilise, you will wait a long time. It’s better to let your life direct you. That way everyone knows where they are.

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Durrants sponsors the Southwold Arts Festival

It’s been a fantastic week here in Southwold with the annual Southwold Arts Festival parading all the colours of the rainbow throughout the High Street. With an extensive programme of events to celebrate the arts, we couldn’t wait to join in on all the fun.

The festival kicked off with the popular Street Festival in the High Street. The theme this year was ‘rainbow’ and the festival invited local businesses to dress up, hold stalls and decorate shop windows. Our Southwold team couldn’t wait to get stuck in and we quickly decided on ‘The Wizard of Oz’ as our theme.

We had a lot of fun marching in the parade sporting our Wizard of Oz costumes. We also had a Holiday Cottages stall outside the office – handing out our latest holiday cottage brochures and letting guides. Young children were getting competitive at our target board and lucky dip!

We were thrilled to be awarded with ‘Best Window’ by the Arts Festival Committee which is testament to our Durrants team in Southwold coming together and working tirelessly on costumes and displays. A special thank you goes to Lorraine, our Holiday Cottages Manager, for all her late night sewing and decorating!

The following week Durrants Holiday Cottages sponsored the Ode to Joyce evening at the Southwold Arts Centre – a performance of songs and monologues of Joyce Grenfell. The Holiday Cottages team attended the event where we supplied an Adnams Hamper as a raffle prize for one lucky winner. It was great to see so many of our cottage owners and customers attending the event.

We can’t wait for what’s in store for the Southwold Arts Festival next year!

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Recent planning trends highlight the importance of hiring the right professionals for your project

Data shows that more applications than ever are being refused on design and heritage grounds, and subsequently upheld at appeal. Following changes to the NPPF last July, a study by University College London found that the odds of planning authorities winning on design grounds have shifted from 5:7 against to 13:7 in favour.

As noted in our previous article The Levelling Up Bill: A Summary, the emerging Levelling Up Bill is also set to give more weight to heritage concerns in planning decisions. With over 24,000 listed buildings in Norfolk and Suffolk (among the highest in the UK), heritage is nearly always a consideration for planning applications in our area.

Appeal case law suggests that failure to consider heritage impacts when designing schemes is increasingly viewed dimly by the Inspectorate.

A recent appeal against the refusal of an annexe in Herefordshire was upheld on the basis that the design was not sympathetic to its setting (reference 3289070). The proposed annexe was modern in style, and used materials which could not be seen in the main house, such as timber cladding.

The main house was a neo-Tudor stone manor house which was not listed, but was close to a Grade II* Listed church, and clearly of architectural interest. No heritage assessment was submitted. Additionally, the inspector concluded that while the family’s needs for an annexe (ageing family, care needs etc.) change over time, heritage impacts are permanent, and therefore take precedence.

Durrants have secured numerous planning permissions on developments affected by heritage issues, and our team of designers are experts in providing designs which reflect their context.

We are unique in having planners, architects and a building surveyor in the same room in our Diss office, giving us the ability to design schemes in a truly comprehensive way. We understand the danger of underestimating heritage and design in applications, and have great relationships with heritage experts who can quickly mobilise to support our clients’ ambitions.

Give our team a call to discuss your project on 01379 642233 or email us at buildingconsultancy@durrants.com

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Durrants achieve approvals after Norfolk councils promise swift action on Nutrient Neutrality

The Durrants planning team are pleased to have recently secured numerous planning consents on sites outside the catchments but within the authorities affected by the recent Natural England update – see our previous article on this here.

In a recent update seminar held by representatives of the Norfolk authorities, which Durrants attended, assurances were made that a permanent solution would be found by February 2023, with further information and strategies introduced to try to free up development in the meantime.

We were pleased to hear that staff from the councils shared developers’ frustrations with the sudden nature of the announcements, as well as what appears to be a sensible plan to find a solution. In the short term, this includes producing a more detailed map of the catchments to identify any areas within them where development could go ahead, as well as providing their own nutrient calculator to replace the flawed one published by Natural England.

It was particularly positive that the authorities are meeting regularly to ensure consistency across the county, as well as with authorities elsewhere in the country who have successfully grappled with the problem, such as Cornwall Council.

We have however seen some inconsistencies in the approach adopted by officers, which tend to centre on foul drainage and each authority’s view on septic tanks and treatment plants. Despite this, we have achieved approvals for developments involving new overnight accommodation (the trigger for nutrient neutrality) in South Norfolk and are working on others in Breckland, the Broads and Broadland authorities.

Overall, councils are working positively with us on applications outside the catchment, and we are providing the information needed to unlock decisions, with a slight delay to the original determination date (generally a few weeks). We are therefore up to speed on the nuances between authorities and would therefore encourage applicants to get in touch with the team to discuss their proposals.

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The Levelling Up Bill: A Summary

The government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill saw its first reading on 11^th May 2022. Touted as a ‘key component’ to reducing inequality and closing the UK’s wealth gap, the proposals contained in the Bill include various changes to the planning system.

The Bill extends to 326 pages, so Jasmine Philpott, Planner at Durrants, has attempted to summarise the proposals that could have the biggest impact on our clients.

Planning fee increase

A planning fee increase of 35% for major applications and 25% for minor applications is proposed – that means an increase from £462 + VAT to £578 + VAT for most applications. The extra revenue is intended to improve the service for applicants and the level of skill within local authorities, which can only be a good thing, but such big increases are a difficult pill to swallow in the midst of a cost of living crisis.

Another change is the extension of the period for taking enforcement action to 10 years in all cases (it is currently 4 in some cases). This means a longer wait for Certificates of Lawfulness for some uses, and a higher risk of enforcement action.

Replacement of CIL

The government are now proposing to replace CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) with a new levy (just ‘Infrastructure Levy’), which will be calculated on uplift in value rather than floor space. It appears that through the new levy, if, for example, build costs increase and property prices go down over time, the Levy payable would reduce to reflect that. But it will also work the opposite way, so that if your scheme grows in profit, you will pay more Levy.

And if you thought this will finally mark the end of Section 106 agreements, think again – those are here to stay.

What now?

The Bill is only at the first reading stage, and accompanying regulations and guidance have yet to be published. The Bill requires three readings in the House of Commons, and three in the House of Lords, then it receives Royal Assent, with amendments made throughout that process. The changes therefore will not take effect until at least 2024, and there is every chance that the Bill could look very different by then.

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Durrants donates to Benjamin Foundation in Thetford

Durrants Charitable Foundation has presented a cheque for £1,000 to the Benjamin Foundation to help their ongoing support work in Thetford.

The Foundation, through it’s “Meet Up’ project at the Youth and Community Centre, plays a vital role in tackling local wellbeing issues, inequalities, mental health and social problems, supporting parents and families via a range of groups and activities.

They have an ongoing fundraising appeal to ensure local children, young people and families can continue to access the services which they have described as their “lifeline.”

The money donated by Durrants will be used to help fund much needed upgraded external lighting and foyer LED lighting.

We wish them every success and we would urge you to visit their website to find out more about how you can support Meet Up.

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From concept to completion – Durrants Building Consultancy

Durrants are renowned for providing expert advice when buying or selling your home, but we are also behind many successful new build and renovation projects managed by our expert team at Durrants Building Consultancy.

Whether you have plans for a barn conversion, minor residential development or larger scale projects on existing land, we can advise you on the whole process including site appraisals and planning through to architectural design.

Jasmine Philpott, Planner at Durrants Building Consultancy, believes our in-house experience and capabilities make us the obvious choice when looking for a company to work with on your next project. She says: “Our key advantage is that we have architects in-house working alongside the two planners on the team. We all look at drawings together to give a fully cohesive approach to a project.

“Alongside that, the experience available within the team of both the market and the local area is second to none. We have the capability to advise and manage anything from a single house extension to promoting a site for a large-scale housing development.”

Jonny Rankin, Principal Planner adds: “I’ve worked for, and with, local authorities across East Anglia and our decades of experience in that area gives us an excellent working knowledge, so we work with Planners and Conservation Officers to achieve successful outcomes for clients.”

The team has experience in working on as many as 50 new dwellings in a large development but Durrants also often works with private individuals who are potentially looking to sell an existing piece of land or who need advice on how to convert an outbuilding.

It is the variety of different projects that Jasmine says makes her role exciting. “It sounds a bit like a cliché, but you really are changing people’s lives. If a client has had a barn in their garden for years and didn’t know what to do with it and you’re able to get them planning permission, it’s quite life changing. They can decide to create a holiday home to rent out or sell it and use the money as they wish.”

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Build Back Better

Dominic Parravani of Durrants gets ready for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and considers what we have and have not learnt over seventy years of the property market.

This weekend, we celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. There will be parties in streets which didn’t exist when the Queen came to the throne and many that did.

In 1952 our major cities were still heavily pockmarked from second world war bombs that rained death and destruction – the type of destruction of life and property that the poor people of Ukraine experience today. Nothing, it seems, changes, just the location.

After the war, Britain had to rebuild, and the Queen saw, as many did, the giant strides made in terms of materials, technology and infrastructure that have come to play a vital part in where and how we live today. But, during the Queen’s reign, successive national and local governments have dismally failed properly to tackle housing. Today, there are too many under-insulated homes and too few new houses to satisfy demand. At a point in the property boom-and-bust cycle when interest rate rises and increasing energy and food costs might point to a softening in housing demand and, therefore, dampen property price increases, the lack of housing stock could instead sustain, at least, some upward momentum. Successive governments have also failed to address the national disgrace of our conveyancing system.

A recent political slogan is Build Back Better. We should build back better – better eco-friendly houses, especially on greenfield sites, and better and more social housing. Above all, we should build safer housing to prevent a horror like Grenfell Tower from happening again and fully compensate those leaseholders who are innocent in this scandal.

As we celebrate the seventy-year reign of a remarkable woman who could hardly have done better, we should also reflect on how we can learn from those years and determine to build better in future.

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Potential delays to planning applications in Norfolk following Nutrient Neutrality announcements

If your site falls within either of the catchments outlined on the maps below, brace yourself for a long wait for planning consent.

In March this year, Natural England suddenly announced that the Broads SAC (special area of conservation)/Ramsar site and the River Wensum SAC are in an unfavourable condition due to excessive nitrate and phosphate levels. Their announcement meant that any development proposals generating overnight accommodation within these catchments should not be decided unless it can be proven that the development will not impact on either of these sites. Unfortunately, this is currently impossible to do, as it relies on mitigation schemes which do not yet exist.

Any development that generates sewage will generate nitrates and phosphates, and this needs to be mitigated, either on-site through the creation of wetlands or woodlands, or off-site through large scale areas set aside for this purpose. As an example of on-site mitigation, a single dwelling could require around 2.5 acres of woodland or 0.05 acres of wetland to offset its nutrient impact.

All authorities in Norfolk are affected, though only parts of them are in the catchments. Most of these authorities have put a hold on deciding any applications which generate overnight accommodation on sites within the catchments until they have found a solution.

Sites outside the catchment are not technically affected. However, so far the acceptance of this varies greatly between authorities. The general trend is that information is still being requested in order to prove the site does not ultimately drain into an affected area. This ranges from full drainage strategies, to communications from statutory bodies, all of which unfortunately is at the client’s cost, and comes with an extension of time on the application.

It’s important to remember that the measures only apply to development which gives rise to overnight accommodation – i.e. new dwellings, hotels, barn conversions. Agricultural development, business development and extensions which do not generate overnight accommodation are currently not affected.

Our message to clients within the catchment at this time would be to go ahead and submit your application, so that when a solution is eventually found, your application will be among the first to be decided (as there will be a backlog). And to those outside, be aware that there could be delays and potential additional cost in satisfying the local authority that your proposals are not captured by these changes.

The situation is continuously evolving, and the Planning team at Durrants are working with qualified professionals to find solutions and progress applications. We would encourage you to speak to us to discuss whether your proposals are affected, and how we can best pre-empt any issues. Details below.

Jasmine Philpott
07710 674301
Jasmine.philpott@durrants.com

Jonny Rankin
07508 334889
jonny.rankin@durrants.com

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Top tips for selling your home

August Atkinson, Residential Sales Manager at our Diss branch, has some top tips to help get your home into perfect condition for attracting a buyer.

When it comes to selling your home, first impressions really do count, because people often buy into a lifestyle as much as a property. They need to be able to envisage what it would look like if they were living there. Buyers often find this difficult, so here are my top tips to help make your home as appealing as possible to prospects.

Kerb appeal

Your house may be stunning inside, but the outside also needs to look cared for and well maintained. Sometimes you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and while you may be focusing on beautifying your indoors the exterior of your property is just as important. People often make a decision about whether or not they are interested in buying a property just from how it looks on the outside…before they even step over the threshold.

Working the room

Let rooms show their purpose. It should be clear what each area of your home is for, and that it ‘works’ – whatever its size. The use and function of some rooms in a house can become blurred over time; the living room becomes part office, the dining room becomes the kids’ play area and the spare bedroom might be used for storage.

Clean and clear

A home free of clutter feels more spacious, and if it’s clean too buyers will be assured it’s well cared for. A major declutter and clean will ensure your home looks, feels and smells its best for viewings. This applies outside too. Gardens are a big draw right now, so mow the lawn, weed the flowerbeds, cut back foliage and place a table and chairs on the patio. Buyers will be able to see the garden as a place to relax in, rather than a job to be tackled.

Sweet smell of success

Everyone is familiar with the cliche of baking bread or brewing coffee before a viewing, but pleasant odours can enhance the appeal of your property. Instead, try fresh flowers, candles or reed diffusers. Also, ensure any features that first attracted you to the property are visible.

Blank canvas

Viewers need to be able to imagine themselves living in your house, so depersonalise it as much as possible. You are setting a stage for them to project their own image of a ‘better life’ onto your home. If buyers think you live a good life in your house, they’ll think a good life awaits them there too! Buyers will fall in love with your house when they can imagine themselves living there, and make your house their home.

To contact August please call 01379 642233 or email August.Atkinson@durrants.com

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Great live music coming to Southwold

Southwold Jazz Club is hosting another great night of live music this month.

The club, which is sponsored by Durrants, is based at Southwold Arts Centre and on Saturday 28th May The Phil Veacock Trio will be appearing live.

Phil Veacock is a professional saxophonist best-known as the main arranger, musical director and tenor saxophonist of Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. He has also arranged and played brass on Paul Weller’s last four albums.

He’ll be joined on stage by organist Jim Watson who has worked with Sting and Katie Melua, and drummer George Double.

Tickets are available to book here.

There is also more great live music in Southwold as part of the Southwold Arts Festival running from 25th June to 2nd July; including Clare Teal and her Trio, Polly Gibbons and the farewell tour of the Blues Band.

The full programme of events can be found here.

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Durrants to fundraise for Diss Community First Responders at Carnival

Durrants will be raising money for Diss Community First Responders at this year’s Diss Carnival and Fun Day on Sunday 3rd July.

The team are all volunteers and the service performs vital work locally, assisting potential life threatening emergencies and stabilising patients in the vital minutes before the ambulance crew arrives and takes over the treatment. At a time when the ambulance service is busier than ever, they have undoubtedly saved many lives in our community.

We will be raising as much money as we can for them on our stand at the Carnival so we thank you in advance for your generosity.

As Carnival sponsors, Durrants are thrilled to support the event which organisers are promising will be a party to remember. We look forward to seeing you on our stand where you can meet members of our team and find out about all the services we provide from our Diss office.

We’re counting down to 3rd July!

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Here be Dragons

Dominic Parravani of Durrants enjoys some spring sunshine and considers whether this is a good time to buy and sell property.

There was a time when spring was the perfect season to put one’s property on the market. There were charmingly simple reasons for this. In May the trees are newly in leaf and everything seems fresh, the days are warmer and longer, and buyers often like to move in by the summer holidays or before the start of a new school year. Yes, spring has always been a perfect time to enter the property market.

Nowadays however, although the above still hold true, there are many additional and sometimes less charming reasons to trigger a sale and purchase. So why could an owner benefit by selling this spring rather than later in the year?

Kyiv might be over 1300 miles from London, but what is going on there and the longer-term ramifications of the war with Russia mean the future is uncertain. Energy and food price rises mean we can’t predict the future cost of living, and escalating interest rates mean our mortgages will be higher, but by how much? The way we work is changing. Many employers are eager for workers to get back to the office, so the five-days-a-week work-from-home idyll isn’t as much a given as it was. Covid is still a worry.

So whichever way you cut it we are surrounded by uncertainty, and the property market like any other market hates uncertainty.

The only thing we do know is what is happening today. So, if you are sitting on the fence waiting for a sign, let this be the sign. You might not have anywhere to move to yet and, yes, currently there are few properties for sale. But that is because everyone else is sitting on the same fence. However, it’s incredible how things can open up once you have made the first move. One thing is certain though, nothing will ever open up unless you do make a move.

So, is spring 2022 an excellent time to sell? It is a brilliant time to sell. First, there are all the traditional reasons to sell at this time of year. But now we think this is probably the top of a bull market, and so do most other leading estate agents. Prices could fall back a little and there probably won’t be the buying frenzy we saw last year. There will be more property on the market with which to compete. If anything should get you off the fence it’s when all the selling stars are aligned – and they are now.

Old charts printed ‘Here be dragons’ in unexplored waters. In property if you want some certainty it’s often better not to chase dragons.

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Spring into action

As we head into spring, Dominic Parravani of Durrants looks at what’s required to win the race to buy a home.

Markets are forever in flux. So our handling of markets must be flexible.

We can buy, hold or sell in the stock market depending on conditions. In a fruit and vegetable market we can buy the freshest produce early in the morning at the full price. Or we can purchase what no one else has bought at a cheaper rate in the late afternoon.

The property market is also in constant flux. There are occasions when there is a lot of stock and buyers have so much choice they can take their time and sometimes make low ball offers.

But we are not in that market now. In many areas around the UK it is quite the opposite. Figures show that generally there are twice as many buyers as there are properties to buy. This is hard enough for buyers. But, in hotspot areas, there are many more buyers per property – result, a feeding frenzy.

So forget a leisurely, late evening, glass-in-hand, browse through your preferred property portal. It is not going to help very much. Because by the time a property gets onto a portal nowadays, the early bird will have already caught its worm.

Serious buyers behave differently in this sort of market. They know they need to find a property before it ever reaches a portal. And the best way to do this is to get to know their local independent estate agent so they can be first in the queue for the pick of the properties.

You see the experienced local agents know their own market best. Years of working in their area mean they know local people and – crucially – often hear first when someone is about to make a move. Then they carefully match those who want to sell with those want to buy. Property portals don’t do that.

If you are serious about buying this spring, get to know your local, well-established estate agent. You will find their knowledge and experience provide the very best in buying advice. And if you are selling, their knowledge, experience – and list of buyer contacts – is vital in a hot market.

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Make sure you take a meter reading today

Money experts are urging everyone to take and submit meter readings for electricity and gas today, 31st March, before energy price increases kick in.

The majority of households are on a standard tariff, which is subject to a price cap set by the regulator Ofgem.

The annual cost under the price cap is set to rise from April by almost £700, so experts say everyone, particularly those who pay by direct debit, should make a note of their consumption today and submit it online to their energy company so they and you have an accurate record of energy consumption.

Money saving expert Martin Lewis told viewers to his ITV show why people paying by direct debit should take gas and electricity readings now.

He said: “That way you draw a line in the sand that says to your energy firm, I’ve only used this amount at the cheaper rate, don’t start charging me more on the higher rate and estimating I use some of it afterwards.”

Monthly direct debit amounts are calculated across the year in an effort to smooth out higher consumption over the winter months in comparison with lower use over the summer. Having accurate figures on consumption can help avoid companies over-estimating future usage which could inflate the amount paid each month.

If you’re having difficulties with energy costs or other bills, you are advised to speak to your energy company first to see if they can help. There are also other organisations who can offer free help and advice, including:

Citizens Advice – 0808 800 9060

National Debtline – 0808 808 4000

Step Change – 0800 138 1111

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Durrants to sponsor Diss Carnival 2022

Durrants are pleased to announce we will be sponsoring this year’s Diss Carnival and Fun Day taking place throughout the town on Sunday 3rd July.

The Carnival is back with a bang this year after an enforced break due to the Pandemic and we are happy to support the town’s comeback event which organisers are promising will be a party to remember.

The theme for the carnival is “The Great-Diss Showman” tying in with The Corn Hall’s Diss Elephants art project, which itself is inspired by the legend of Madame Abdella, one of two circus elephants said to have been buried under Fair Green.

Claire Keen, Diss Carnival Committee Chair, said: “We’ve decided that Diss needs something to look forward to, to celebrate and enjoy. I can’t wait to see the town covered in bunting, the shop windows colourfully decorated, and, for me, the atmosphere in the town when the parade passes through is exhilarating.

“We’re hoping the parade and shop window displays will be bigger and better than ever for our comeback carnival and will include everything from circuses and funfairs to characters from the musical ‘The Greatest Showman”, helter skelter rides, dodgems, fortune tellers, clowns, strongmen and women, acrobats, lions, tigers and even dancing bears!”

As well as joining in the fun, Durrants will have a stand at the Carnival Fun Day where you can meet members of our team and find out about all the services we provide from our Diss office. We hope to see you there on 3rd July!

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Introducing August Atkinson

Durrants are pleased to welcome August Atkinson as Residential Sales Manager in our Diss branch.

August has 30 years of experience in estate agency and is already using her skills to match people with their dream homes. She said: “I love houses, I love property. I’ve grown up with it – my dad was always renovating something. I got my passion from him and my mum and I’ve always worked in estate agency.”

Her greatest joy comes from occasionally surprising potential buyers looking for that next move. “There’s nothing more satisfying than getting someone to look at something they’ve maybe not contemplated and then seeing them discover it’s the home for them. When they say they’d have never looked at it unless I’d mentioned it is quite exciting.”

August expects the market to move more freely as we move into spring. She said: “We are seeing a lot more activity at the moment with a lot of valuations coming to fruition. But there are definitely still more purchasers then vendors out there, so we need more property.”

Managing property chains in the sales process is an area where August believes the experience of Durrants can really help. “It’s about communication really. If something hasn’t happened for a week, both parties still need to be updated. We don’t just rely on solicitors to keep both the vendors and purchasers informed; we like to think we are proactive regarding the progression of a sale.”

August is looking forward to meeting prospective buyers and sellers over the coming months in her new role at Durrants. “I think we really do care about our purchasers and vendors; we will do as much as we can to help,” she said. “Durrants is the best firm I’ve ever worked for in my 30 years in estate agency. There’s so much support, I’ve never been anywhere like it.”

To arrange a valuation of your home or a viewing of a property, please contact our Diss branch on 01379 642233 or email diss@durrants.com.

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Swings and Roundabouts

Dominic Parravani of Durrants advises prospective sellers and buyers not to wait until the property market gets back to ‘normal’.

Who remembers the boom and bust property markets of the early 1970s or the late 1980s? Who remembers the MIRAS debacle in 1988 and 15% mortgage interest rates? More people will remember recent mini booms and busts, general elections, Black Wednesday, the Scottish referendum, the banking crisis, Brexit and, of course, the global pandemic. Over the years all these events, large and small, have affected the market to a greater or lesser extent.

So, if anyone is waiting for the property market to get back to normal they will wait a long time as there is no normal property market. In property we have to play the cards we are dealt. Sometimes the market will benefit the buyer, and sometimes the seller. In all these years the market has never suited both buyers and sellers at the same time. But then what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts.

It is essential to understand that the market is continually in flux. We now have the challenge of low stocks of property for sale, increasing interest rates and property values in some areas rising steeply. Will this continue? No. Why? Because nothing continues unchanged in property for long. Things are constantly moving.

So, my advice is to play the property, not the market. Find a deal that works for you. Please don’t wait for the market to normalise; it won’t. Don’t try and wait until we have reached the top of the market to sell, because when you think that the market has reached the top, it will already be too late. Winning in property is finding the right property deal for you when you need it. Put another way, would you rather have a perfect property or a perfect market? I know which I would choose.

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Chained Up

Dominic Parravani of Durrants looks at the difference between someone who wants to buy a property and someone who does buy a property.

Even seasoned estate agents say that there has rarely been a property market like this. “Property prices rising at pre-banking crisis levels”, “Properties for sale – numbers lowest in decades”, scream the press in reaction to comments made by lenders, property websites and other interested parties.

Moving might not be complicated for buyers who don’t need a mortgage and have no upward chain, or for sellers with no downward chain. But for everyone else, these can be testing times.

The problem is getting chained up with nowhere to go – becoming stuck in a line of dependent deals, especially when the top of the chain can’t find a property to buy.

It’s a wonder anyone moves anywhere with the market so thin on stock, and when getting a deal through often takes between 16 and 20 weeks. Four to five months is a long time in a property transaction – a lot can happen. But the miracle is that even in this market people do move. How? Mostly it is down to the desire of buyers and sellers, coupled with the skill of their estate agent.

If buyers and sellers were to sit or work in an estate agent’s office for a week, they would begin to understand that the tricky bit isn’t so much finding a buyer but getting a chain of deals, sometimes with four or five links, across the line. Finding a willing buyer is one thing, finding an able one is a very different matter. Everyone gets to see the sold board go up. But few get to see the effort that went into getting it there.

So, when choosing an estate agent in this market don’t just go for the one who says they can get you a buyer – everyone says that: instead go for the one who can get you through to completion. There is a vital difference between the two.

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Wymondham Rugby Club support

Durrants are delighted to continue to support Wymondham Rugby club, through our community charity foundation with the sponsorship of a pitch side board.

Dominic Parravani, Durrants Managing Director, is Joint Chair of Wymondham Rugby clubs Mini section and is passionate about supporting local sport for all.

He said: “We support lots of local clubs and organisations throughout Norfolk and Suffolk and are thrilled to be able to show our continued support to such a wonderful club as Wymondham Rugby Club.”

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Over £1,000 raised for charity by Durrants clay shoot

Durrants are thrilled to announce a final total of money raised as a result of last September’s annual charity Clay shoot at Red House Farm by kind permission of Philip Kidner. This year’s chosen charity was R.A.B.I (The Royal Agricultural Benevolent institution).

Dominic Parravani, Durrants Managing Director “Our annual Charity Clay shoot has become a firm fixture in our fund raising calendar, over the years we have been able to donate thousands of pounds for wonderful causes. We are very proud of our recent charity clay shoot, to which we have raised an outstanding amount of £1,053.94!”

The cheque was presented at Durrants Halesworth office by Richard Prentice, Durrants Head of Agriculture, to David Locke, Finance Director of RABI and Thelma Thorogood Suffolk Chair for RABI.

Mrs Thorogood said: “On behalf of Suffolk RABI, we would like to say thank you so very much indeed for choosing our Charity to donate this amazing sum. We really do appreciate receiving this money, which will go straight to our Beneficiaries”

The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I), a national charity that provides support for local farming communities across England and Wales.

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Durrants sponsorship of Southwold Rugby Club reaches across the world!

Durrants sponsored rugby shirts from Southwold Rugby Club, have found their way to India! The Jungle Crows Foundation is taking rugby to some of the poorest children in the world, most of whom would not normally have any chance to take part in any organised sporting activity.

For 10 years the charity has given street kids and orphans the chance to play and learn together in a safe and coach controlled environment. The foundation supports the children to go to school and then even college so they can get a good job. Shirts and equipment are sent over to help kit out enthusiastic players and as always

Durrants are delighted to be able to help and support.

The fantastic picture above was taken in Kolkata where the Jungle Crows are celebrating India’s republic day.

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Predicting the Present

Dominic Parravani of Durrants ignores the New Year crystal ball and looks instead at what is actually happening to the property market at the moment.

A recent survey by a national estate agency group revealed that over fifty per cent of home buyers make a buying decision during their first viewing. Any experienced estate agent would say that they don’t need a survey to tell them that.

First impressions are a crucial component in influencing a home buying decision. Hence a clean and tidy house is essential in creating a market-ready property. Neatness must extend to the front garden, where a proportion of buyers often make their decisions to purchase or not even as they walk up to the front door for the first time.

Why are such important decisions made in moments? It’s because for most buyers a home is about the heart: it must feel right for them. A property can have the correct number of rooms, the right amount of space, face the right direction and have dozens of other desirable features, including being priced correctly. Still, if something doesn’t feel right it’s not right, and a buyer can detect that in seconds.

We’ve compiled some top tips to make sure your property is ready to look its best for potential buyers.

As we stride into 2022, newspapers and social media are awash with industry experts’ property market predictions. But experienced estate agents know that it is the present they have to address. The vast majority of home buyers and sellers are dealing with the now.

Happily, the present is easier to comment on accurately. Early indications this year are that there is no let-up in demand. But stocks remain low, keeping pressure on values and pushing up prices in many areas, making this a particularly good time to sell.

Yes, property buyers must keep their eye on cost-of-living rises, as mortgage affordability and potential energy supply cost increases will be of concern in the weeks and months ahead. Indeed, banks and building societies might toughen up their lending criteria, especially if we see more small, incremental interest rate rises.

Buyers need to make wise decisions when choosing a home, as they should always buy within their means. But, within the bounds of fiscal responsibility, people still choose a home instinctively. Property may have become a commodity, but a home is more than that. It is shelter, security and a comfort blanket, and no one needs a survey to tell them that.

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We’re still open and here to help

This week it was announced that England is to enter another national lockdown with a review to take place mid-February.

Despite the lockdown, the good news is that the property industry is to continue operating, with estate and letting agents remaining open, house viewings and home moves still permitted. Of course, estate agents and all personnel involved in house moves will be closely following government guidelines to keep safety measures in place.

Propertymark’s chief policy adviser has released this statement: “We welcome the news that the housing market is to remain open throughout this new lockdown period, but it is essential that all agents continue to play their part in reducing the spread of the virus through following all relevant guidance on how to safely conduct viewings.

“It is vital that agents operate in accordance with government and Propertymark guidelines to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, keep movers and buyers safe and keep the housing market moving through these uncertain times.”

For us at Durrants, it’s business as usual. We don’t believe that we will see a decline in the high levels of buyer activity seen since June and we’re confident that property prices will continue to be on an upward trajectory. Rest assured, we are adhering to stringent safety protocols that were set in place last year and will continue to follow government guidance as it is released.

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A new chapter awaits for historic Southwold dwelling

A little piece of literary history has come to the property market in Southwold.

Former home of George Orwell, Montague House is a charming mid-18^th Century, 4-bedroom home described in the town’s Conservation Charter Appraisal as being ‘one of the jewels in Southwold’s architectural collection’ is waiting to start it’s next chapter with new owners.

The George Orwell Connection

Famous for writing ‘Animal Farm’ (1945) and ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ (1949), the English novelist, essayist and critic George Orwell, aka Eric Arthur Blair (1903 – 1950) lived at Montague House from 1932 to 1941 after serving the police in Burma, now Myanmar. It is here that he wrote his second novel ‘A Clergyman’s Daughter’.

His love of Southwold influenced this particular work significantly with the fictional setting of ‘Knype Hill’ modelled on the beautiful seaside town and the character of ‘Dorothy Hare’ bearing great similarities to 1930s PE Mistress at St Felix School, Brenda Salkeld.

Orwell’s residence at the property is celebrated with a plaque on its red-brick exterior which was unveiled by the Orwell Society in 2018.

Bright, Spacious and Flexible Living

Standing proud at the top of Southwold High Street, Montague House provides light and spacious accommodation with a delightful enclosed rear garden. This Grade II Listed building retains many of its original features having been tastefully renovated to incorporate more modern conveniences.

The accommodation, on the ground floor, provides two characterful reception rooms, a well fitted kitchen with adjacent utility room and a spacious shower room with generous storage. On the first floor are four bedrooms, again, retaining lots of character and a family bathroom. Outside, the rear garden is well stocked with established shrubs and trees. There are two garden stores and a very pretty garden room at the end of plot which faces west.

Montague House is offered to market at £825,000 with no onward chain having been, in more recent times, a very successful holiday retreat. Viewing by appointment. Please get in touch on 01502 723292. View full property details here.

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Lessons learned

As the second wave of Covid19 affects lives, Durrants MD Dominic Parravani looks at what it augurs for the property market.

One thing that has proved to be resistant to Covid-19 is the property market, which has fed off the pandemic. If anything the spring lockdown acted as an incubation period for the market, as Coronavirus fuelled people’s desire to move to larger homes, often in more relaxed locations.

Now we are moving into hopefully a shorter second lockdown the question is, what will happen to this bull market?

The answer seems clear. Whilst we all know that these conditions can’t last forever, the early signs are that these second-wave precautionary measures will only act to fan the flames of the current market.

We understand now that during lockdown would-be buyers weren’t idle. Far from it; they were actively watchful. Once lockdown ended these buyers, armed with knowledge, stimulus and the freedom to act, broke out. The market became a feeding frenzy. Now, just as the national lockdown acted as an incubation period, the latest round of measures should do so again. But this time there will be added stimuli.

Completion by Christmas is often the aim when buying or selling property in the autumn. But now there is another target date: March 31st. This is the day the stamp duty relaxation measure is due to end. Buyers will be racing to complete purchases by then to avoid extra expense – money they could use for a deposit or for improvements to their new home.

Of course the Chancellor may postpone the cut-off date, or best of all discontinue the unpopular and opportunistic windfall tax altogether. But if he does neither strap yourself in – it’s going to be a hectic five months.

If there is one thing we learned how to do during the initial lockdown it was to work successfully in a highly unusual and demanding property market. Now we will take that experience and do so again, making sure that our buyers and sellers can move, not just when they want to but also when they need to.

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Lodge Farm, Gisleham – Machinery Sale Results

Lodge Farm, Gisleham – Machinery Sale – 1^st October 2020

A good attendance despite the wet conditions and prevailing circumstances along with enthusiastic online bidding ensured that the well maintained relatively modern equipment sold well, prices include:-

Tractors MF6718(s) Dyna 6 50KPH with Efficient cab (2017) only 1570 hours, £54,000 and the MF 7620 Dyna VT 2682 hours 50 KPH 4wd Efficient cab, £49,000 both kitted out for Greenstar and both sold to online bidders.

The Greenstar SF6000 receiver kit and 2 steering wheels made £5,500. Bailey 16T trailer (2018) £12,600 and Marston 14T trailer (2008) with rear view camera £7,700. Horsch Pronto 4DC Drill (2006) £13,600, Lemken 5F rev pl Euro Pal 8 £9,400, 8.20m HE-VA Tip Rolls £7,800, HE-VA 5 tine Subsoiler with air seeder and disc attachment £4,300.

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Loo rolls and other flying objects

As we head for autumn and further Covid restrictions, Dominic Parravani of Durrants assesses the state of the property market.

So many people are asking us about the property market at the moment. To provide some perspective, we often answer the question with a question. We ask, “Do you remember back in March, how loo rolls became difficult to find as they were flying off supermarket shelves?”

“It would be hard to forget,” most people reply.

So we say, “That’s what’s happened to property: houses are flying off our books.”

While the country was in lockdown, no one could envision what would happen to the property market next – including us. We couldn’t predict the strength of public demand for changes in surroundings and lifestyle. We couldn’t know how people would react to isolation, sudden changes in working practices and the resulting opportunity to commute less often but therefore further – providing the chance to buy a larger suburban or rural house and garden.

Now, after several months of the most extraordinary market most of us can remember, we have experienced the combined effects of the Covid and Brexit bounces, the relaxation of stamp duty and low-interest rates.

Many first and second-time buyers and sellers won’t remember the days when the market was on fire like this; when there were multiple offers on houses for sale, prices were spiralling upwards, and property was selling almost as soon as it came on to the market.

But we remember those days. We remember them very well. That is why we are highly experienced and skilled in dealing with this unexpectedly buoyant market.

For those thinking of buying before the end of the stamp duty reprieve, we recommend doing so now. Why? Because neither we nor anyone else, including the Chancellor, knows what’s going to happen next. Another national lockdown – if there were to be one – might only temporarily suppress this strong market and drive even more people to want to move. But big questions remain about the market in 2021.

High unemployment, a negative Brexit trade deal, tighter mortgage criteria and the end of the stamp duty relaxation, could turn off the tap that was so dramatically turned on in July.

Only time will tell. But in the meantime what we do know is that property is flying and we are here to help buyers and sellers fly with it.

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Durrants Holiday Cottages featured by Investors Chronicle

Lorraine White, Holiday Cottages Manager at Durrants, has been speaking on the Investors Chronicle podcast about strong demand for breaks in Southwold.

The show spent some time focusing on how the Suffolk coastal haven has become a popular destination for those choosing a ‘staycation’ in the UK rather than venturing abroad.

Click on the link below to hear the podcast from the start of Lorraine’s contribution, but also scroll back to hear more experiences of ‘Staying put’.

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I Wish

Dominic Parravani of Durrants has some thoughts for property buyers and sellers who wish they could see into the future.

Don’t you wish that just once you could have a sure fire tip about the perfect time to buy and/or sell an investment?

If only you or your parents had known to invest in a small Californian computer start up company called Apple in 1976. An £800 investment then would be worth over £30 billion today.

Finding these tips and then acting on them is the stuff of legends. But it is still possible to do the right thing at the right time by listening to the right people.

For example, a good estate agent with great local knowledge knows exactly what is happening in the property market. So, if you are thinking of buying or selling your home, a good first move would be to get the best local advice.

And what would we, at Durrants, say if you asked us about the market right now? We would say that, following lockdown, we have not seen as buoyant or active a market as this since before the great recession in 2007/8. We would tell you that properly priced property is flying off the shelves. But we would also tell you that the property market is cyclical, and that sometime after this scramble to buy and sell is over, the market will eventually cool – it always does. It cannot stay like this forever.

Finally, we will tell you that now is as near perfect a time to buy and/or sell a property as you are likely to find, and that periods like this only come round every ten years or so. Plus, this time, there is Stamp Duty relief for many home buyers, and the lowest mortgage interest rates in history.

You’ll be pleased to know that we don’t charge for insightful property advice, and while we might not be able to turn £800 into £30 billion for you, we can help you make the most of what is probably your most financially valuable asset.

So, go on, make a legendary move…

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Booming Marvellous

As we head for late summer, Dominic Parravani of Durrants assesses the property market.

Covid-19 hasn’t been the only outbreak this year. There has also been an outbreak of property sales and letting since the end of national lockdown. The press has called this current property market a mini boom. We call it a maxi boom.

Mini booms occur when there is above average activity. Maxi booms happen when buyers are queueing up, there are multiple offers for most properties on the market, and deals regularly go to best and final offers only to exceed the original guide prices. This is what we are currently experiencing.

Nor has the lettings sector been left out of this market frenzy. There is enormous demand for rental properties.

Since the general lockdown ended our phones have been practically ringing off the hook and the numbers of visitors to our website and social media pages have skyrocketed.

Many things have changed since the pandemic hit our lives. One of these changes is in the attitude many of us have to how and where we live. A demand for more spacious and environmentally healthy living is driving the market, spurred on by a temporary reduction in stamp duty that has not only helped many second and third step buyers, but also has galvanised holiday home and buy-to-let purchasers.

Another change this summer is the government’s avowed intent to simplify and speed up the planning process. The current system has been described as “complex and slow” by the housing minister. It is a view hard to argue against.

But shouldn’t the minister also be looking at the current snail-pace of the conveyancing process? This is causing completion delays of up to six months in some parts of the country. How can buyers and sellers plan properly with this much uncertainty? It is a lamentable situation in this digital age, and one worthy of any government’s urgent attention.

As we head into late summer amidst all these changes our phones are still ringing and there is no let up in demand. We don’t know how long this surge in demand for property will last, but for buyers and sellers right now it is a boom market. So our advice is; to change your room use this boom.

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Make Hay While the Sun Shines

Durrants Managing Director Dominic Parravani assesses the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s stamp duty changes – designed to stimulate the property market.

With post-Covid demand for property at a welcome high level, one thing was needed to help create what could be the most active market since the great recession: greater affordability.

Now the Chancellor has gone a long way to help through his mini-budget. From 8th July 2020 until 31st March 2021 there will be a temporary stamp duty holiday on the first £500,000 of all property sales in England and Northern Ireland. This does not affect Scotland and Wales, which have their own property transaction tax regimes.

Under Sunak’s change buyers of second homes and buy-to-let properties will also benefit, but will still have to pay the existing 3% extra duty due on the entire price.

During this tax holiday, the average stamp duty bill will fall by £4,500, and almost nine out of ten people buying a main home this year will pay no stamp duty at all. Anyone buying a home for around £475,000 will save almost £14,000 in tax.

We in the property industry have long called for the government to overhaul a tax that has become a serious hindrance to buyers. Although seen as unfair by many, the government’s annual return from stamp duty is around £12bn – roughly equivalent to 2% of the Treasury’s total tax income. However even the Prime Minister has said in the past that he wanted to scrap stamp duty up to £500,000 and reduce the top rate – on homes costing more than £1.5 million – from 12% to 7%.

With the Halifax announcing, unsurprisingly, that house prices have fallen during the four months of lockdown, the new stamp duty level and the increased desire by many to make a lifestyle change mean this is the best time for years to buy a property. As any farmer will tell you, make hay while the sun shines.

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The New Normal

Covid-19 has changed the way many buyers search for a property. Dominic Parravani from Durrants explains.

Before Covid-19, most home hunters physically visited all the properties in which they were interested. They felt they had to as a way of drawing up a serious shortlist of contenders.

To a large extent Covid-19 has changed all that. Three months of national lockdown has profoundly affected the way buyers look for a property. During the lockdown, when buyers couldn’t and didn’t want to leave their homes, viewing online became the default method of visiting properties: this is where our excellent photography and virtual tours really came into their own.

Armed with a great virtual tour, Google street and satellite views, maps, floor plans and even – when appropriate – drone video photography, our buyers have never been so visually informed about property.

Now that buyers are freed from lockdown, will they revert to their old viewing ways? It is doubtful.

The large amount of time buyers have to spend in looking around properties – which frequently they won’t in the end buy – is now mostly a thing of the past. For them the saving in time, money and emotional energy is colossal. Our sellers also benefit because only highly interested and well-informed buyers will visit their homes. After all, that final physical viewing is the all-important one: it is the visit when the buyer’s heart confirms what their eyes suspected from online visits. The physical viewing will almost certainly not be the first – or even the second, third or fourth time the property has been seen. A buyer might have been inspecting a chosen property online for several weeks.

In the post Covid-19 property world, all estate agents are online agents. It’s just that some, like us, have offices in high profile street locations, providing our clients with the very best of both worlds. Not that one has to visit our offices to speak to us – Zoom meetings are another change that Covid-19 has brought to the property market.

We have all come out of lockdown modernised in one way or another. In addition all of us at Durrants have emerged as energised and as passionate as ever to provide the best service, advice, marketing and results for our clients. Call us now at any of our branches in Beccles, Diss, Halesworth, Harleston, Southwold or our Mayfair Office in London We very much look forward to hearing from you.

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Join us for a virtual drinks reception

Durrants and MHA Larking Gowen are celebrating what would have been the first day of the Royal Norfolk Show next Wednesday 1st July by holding a virtual drinks reception between 4pm and 5pm.

Join us and guest speakers Cath Crowther, Regional Director of CLA East, and the Chief Executive of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, Greg Smith, for a discussion on rural issues.

This is an invitation only event and numbers are limited, if you are interested please click here to book your place.

We look forward to seeing you (virtually) next week.

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Really Useful Engines

As the UK lifts out of lockdown, Dominic Parravani of Durrants suggests a chat over coffee to consider your next move.

The creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, the Reverend W Awdry, once said that the church was like a railway: both were trying to get people from one place to another.

Estate agents fall into the same category. We move people from one home to the next. And never has moving people seemed more important than now: because never have homes seemed more important to all of us as we battle to defeat the most deadly threat in our lives – and to our way of life – since World War II.

But something big is going on with homes. Our activity has gone through the roof in the past few weeks. The property portals are reporting the highest traffic to their sites – ever. In lockdown decisions to change – to move on – have been made and are now being acted upon.

It is at a time like this that estate agents become very useful indeed. It is their local expertise and market knowledge, which are so invaluable to sellers and buyers. Who’d have thought that houses and flats on dedicated cycle lanes would step up in value in only a few months? The answer is, an experienced estate agent.

So if you plan to move home, why not call us for a chat. Better still, arrange a Zoom meeting, Face Time or WhatsApp chat over a cup of coffee. You will find that we live in your area, we share and enjoy the same local facilities and we support the same local enterprises. More than that, you will find that we care in a way that goes beyond selling your property. We take care in moving our clients from one place to another.

Estate agents are engines of change. As James and Percy said to Thomas the Tank Engine, “We’re really useful engines, after all”.

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Durrants Auctions reopening with online sales

Durrants Auction Rooms are pleased to announce they will be reopening to the public later this month with items for forthcoming auctions already being invited. Valuations are already taking place by appointment.

In line with government guidance, the Auction Rooms in Beccles have been closed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic but services are now able to resume with auctions being held exclusively online for now. The first sale will take place on Friday 12th June.

Nicholas Rudge, director of Durrants Auctions, said: “We are thrilled to be able to return to what we do best and provide a valuable service to our many loyal customers. Obviously there will be some changes to our procedures to maintain social distancing leglislation but we are very much open for business.”

Durrants Auctions have already started a remote valuation and collection service from the forecourt of the Auction Rooms using a new interactive appointment system on their website to comply with social distancing. They will hold one specialist sale per week on Fridays with General Antiques with Furniture the first to be held.

“Thankfully the vast majority of our sales have been available to follow online for some time with live video and remote bidding so this service will now take centre stage until we are able to welcome the public back fully for auctions to watch live and in-person,” Mr. Rudge added.

“We have already heard from people who have used the lockdown to have a thorough clear out of their home so we would welcome anyone who would like an item valued for one of our forthcoming sales featuring silver, jewellery, toys and collectables as well as watches and clocks.”

An updated Auction Calendar has now been published on the Durrants Auctions website durrantsauctions.com. The website also has the new appointment calendar where you can book a slot for valuations, collections or deliveries of items. Alternatively, you can phone to book an appointment on 01502 713490.

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Bouncy Bouncy

Dominic Parravani from Durrants reports on a property phenomenon playing out now in a market near you.

The lockdown bounce has already begun. We don’t know how long it will be for, but it is undoubtedly with us now.

Within a day of the government announcement that the home buying and renting process could re-start, the telephone calls and emails began – and we have not stopped since.

People who, for whatever reason, have decided in lockdown to make significant life changes have now joined those who were already on that path in January and February. In the new year we had a Brexit bounce. Now it seems we have a double bounce.

We have already spoken to dozens of buyers keen to escape urban environments or in need of a lovely garden. Then there are those whose workplace will change from office to home and they’re looking for properties with room for a dedicated workspace. We have heard too from people who have re-evaluated their relationship with their home and now want something different from it.

Our commitment to those who have suffered during this period with ill-health or other issues is total. Our years of experience and in-depth local knowledge are already aiding those who need the support and commitment of sympathetic but practical property professionals. Those who are in difficulty with property matters are not alone in this. We are here to help. We know how to help.

We are taking all the precautions recommended to keep clients, viewers and our colleagues safe through the tail of this pandemic. If you need to make a move safely and wisely please contact your nearest Durrants office.

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Realism is our Vaccine

Now lockdown is being eased, Dominic Parravani of Durrants answers the sixty-four thousand dollar question about the property market.

As we gradually emerge from lockdown the first question clients are asking us is how will the coronavirus influence property prices?

This is something that is hard to answer with any absolute accuracy at this early stage. However the question is a crucial one.

Much will depend on the shape of the bounce back. If it is V-shaped we can be hopeful for only minor turbulence. However if there is a long tail then recovery prices in specific sectors could be affected.

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 finally will 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 Covid-19 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. Coronavirus has not altered that.

So what about prices? In the property sector realism will move us out of this crisis. With a realistic price, a pragmatic attitude to negotiation and a sensible buyer coronavirus will be unable to infect our market. Realism is our vaccine.

For realistic advice about marketing your property call us today on 01502 723292. We are open for business.

As the second wave of Covid19 affects lives, Durrants MD Dominic Parravani looks at what it augurs for the property market.

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