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.
Saturday 19th 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Durrants Charitable Foundation is delighted to have supported the Village Hall Committee at St Margaret South Elmham for a first aid training course.
Village Hall Chairman, Phillip Kidner contacted Durrants to request support so that 12 local residents could take part in a course and learn vital skills that could help the community if needed.
The first air course was run by MJ Training and covered basic first aid skills as well as CPR.
Dominic Parravani of Durrants considers changes in the real estate market as 2021 draws to a close.
It was only as recently as the 1930s that electric light became standard in new homes built in urban areas of the UK. Now, just 90 years later, our fridge-freezers can tell us when we are out of fish fingers. The march of change in materials, technology and taste is as relentless as life itself.
As we look forward to the New Year we all share in the sorrow that the last two years have brought to so many. We also face significant social and economic challenges during this post Brexit, post pandemic and, down-the-line, post fossil fuel era when gas-fired heating will go the same way as gas-fired lighting.
The property market too has seen enormous changes in the past few years, and it will continue to do so as it steadily moves from white hot, Covid-affected panic buying to a more considered mood in the New Year.
The market is in constant flux, just as individuals’ personal circumstances are. Buying a home at any stage of life is usually a thrilling event – if somewhat nerve-racking at times. Moving is often borne of new independence or marriage, cohabitation, birth, career success, fulfilled ambition, or even a fresh and exciting chapter brought on by empty nest relocation.
Whatever changes happen in 2022 we hope they will be good for you, and we stand ready to spread the joy in helping people into a new home and a joyous new chapter of their lives.
Happy New Year.
The canopy was installed in October to enable children to enjoy time outdoors and remain protected from the elements. Fresh air has of course, always been important for children, but the pandemic and the need for social distancing and well-ventilated areas has made this essential.
On Wednesday 10th November our communications manager, Sally Owen went to meet the team at Owlets and see the results of Durrants’ contribution. “Durrants are delighted to support so many local projects that benefit the local community. On a drizzly day like today you can really see how the new canopy at Owlets will be important for both the children and staff here.”
The project was also supported by other generous donors including East Suffolk County Council, The Tudwick Foundation and Alpkit foundation.
“It’s so important for children to be able to enjoy time outdoors, but when the weather is inclement, or even if the sun is too hot, it’s vital to have some shelter to protect the youngsters.” commented Jo-Anne Aulsberry, Manager of Owlets. “We’re delighted with the canopy and are hugely grateful to all our supporters, including Durrants.”
Photo: Presentation of £750 donation from Durrants. Pictured left to right: Jo-Anne Aulsberry, manager of Owlets, Sally Owen, communications manager for Durrants and Sarah Jordan, chairperson for Owlets.
Currently, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) allowed for rented properties are a minimum of an E rating on their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The new EPC regulations would mean that from 2025, a rented property would need to have a certification rating of C or above. The changes are being introduced to ensure homes are more energy-efficient and to reduce carbon waste, progressing towards the Government’s net-zero targets.
For some landlords, a low cost change such as increasing loft insulation could be enough to satisfy the required change in EPC level, for others however, this could mean a review of wall insulation, windows, doors etc.
There are grants available for landlords looking to improve the efficiency of their rental property. As part of Durrants fully managed lettings service we ensure all legislation is kept up to date, and work closely with our landlords to ensure properties are kept to the most efficient standard.
If you have a lettings property, give us a call today to see how we could help you.
Dominic Parravani of Durrants compares COP26 and little green men with the November property market.
Many of us will remember childhood comics with little green men warning earthlings that “resistance is futile”. It felt awful to be so helpless.
Yet in Glasgow at COP26, that is just what the scientists are saying. They warn that resisting change will only bring global catastrophe. The experts say that the future is in our hands, but that we must act now.
In a way, selling property is the same. We have experienced an almost unnatural market for the past eighteen months. But things are slowly changing.
The market in some areas is not as gung ho as it was. Multiple full-price bids on properties aren’t as common as they were. Buyers are more relaxed and feel they have more time. And over-priced houses and flats are not receiving quite the high-level interest that they might once have had, especially with the threat of higher mortgage interest rates looming.
For sellers, resisting this turn of events is futile. Keeping a property on the market in the hope someone will pay a premium in all but premium locations is fraught with risk and potential delays.
Just like resisting little green men or global warming, resisting or ignoring market conditions when selling a property is storing up trouble.
With little green men, the laying down of arms is sensible. With global warming, rushing out of fossil fuels and into renewables is sensible. And with property, setting a sensible asking price from the outset, whatever the market, will always mean a faster and easier sale.
Durrants is delighted to bring to the market an exciting development of five brand new bungalows in partnership with Vello Homes.
Development is underway at Church View in the charming village of Chedgrave, near Loddon, providing easy access to The Broads AONB as well as the city of Norwich. There will be a variety of 3-bedroom bungalows each with spacious garden, ample parking and attractive rural views.
Vello Homes has a long history with over 30 years of delivering high quality homes in East Anglia. The company is owned and based in Brundall and specialises in small scale, high quality, bespoke housing developments within a 20-mile radius of Norwich.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Vello Homes on this project.” said Dominic Parravani, Managing Director for Durrants. “There’s great synergy between our two companies; both family owned with our roots firmly in the East Anglian soil and both committed to providing our clients with the very highest standards. We’re looking forward to seeing the development take shape and find buyers for these high spec homes.”
Enquiries for Church View, Chedgrave are being managed via our Southwold office. For further information call us on 01502 723292 or email southwold@durrants.com
On Friday 8th October 2021, after an enforced break due to Covid, the annual Durrants charity clay shoot was held in its usual beautiful surroundings of the water meadows and farmland of Red House Farm, St Margaret- South Elmham by kind permission of Mr Philip Kidner.
Once again this popular event was run to raise funds for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, a national charity that provides local support to farming communities across England and Wales.
Blessed with wonderful weather, fourteen teams came together to shoot two 100-bird flushes, kindly provided by local gunsmiths A Richardson & Sons of Halesworth. BBQ and refreshments were available throughout the day.
Once shooting had ceased, scores were checked and double checked with the winners being announced by Nick Durrant, from Durrants. The winners were James Griffiths and his team from Griffiths and Taylor Structural Engineers.
Dominic Parravani managing director from Durrants said “The day has been a great success. It’s lovely to be back after missing last year’s event.”
The final figure for the funds raised is still to be confirmed, but 100% of proceeds will be donated to RABI.
We’re delighted to introduce our new Residential Sales Manager for Beccles, Lisa Brown.
Lisa has been a valued member of the Durrants team since 2010 holding positions of Senior Negotiator and Residential Sales Manager of their Southwold office. Prior to joining Durrants, Lisa worked, for 13 years, at a well renowned local law firm in their conveyancing department during which time she ran her own caseload.
“I love Beccles, I’m so happy to be back here – it’s where my roots are. Despite the recent pandemic it’s a thriving town with so much going on. Beccles is a wonderful place for all generations to live with the River Waveney right on the doorstep, the beautiful Suffolk Coast just 15 minutes away and Norfolk’s county city, Norwich, just a short drive or bus journey away.”
Dominic Parravani, Managing Director and Head of Residential Sales for Durrants said of the appointment, “Lisa’s wealth of knowledge and experience in the East Anglian property market is outstanding and her rapport with clients has earned her countless testimonials over her years with Durrants. The Beccles property market is incredibly competitive and I know that Lisa and her them will thrive on the challenge.”
If you have a property in or around Beccles and are considering a move, why not get in touch with Lisa and her team for a free, no obligation property valuation. Call our Beccles branch on 01502 712122 or click here to request a valuation online.
We are delighted to announce the promotion of Florence Bond to Residential Sales Manager of our Southwold Office.
Florence joined the Durrants team in September 2017 and since then she has shown total professionalism and dedication as she has rapidly stepped up the career ladder.
Dominic Parravani, Managing Director and Head of Residential Sales commented “From the young person who came to see me for a role we didn’t have and then impressed so much with her enthusiasm, her hard work, her tenacity, her driven pursuit of knowledge and qualifications, her total professionalism and her ability to be continually cheerful and keep me in check! Very proud!”
Florence leads an enthusiastic and professional team of 9 from the High Street office and will have a challenging job ahead maintaining the Company’s leading position in the local property market. Durrants has outperformed all other estate agents in Southwold and Reydon in the last 12 months, completing three times more sales than the nearest competitor and almost half of all residential sales in the area.*
“Working through a pandemic has certainly been a tremendous learning curve. We’ve seen the market change dramatically and the challenges it brought to the property market would have been unimaginable 18 months ago.” said Florence. “I’m really proud of our team and their commitment to what they do. Their hard work and effort are what have built our reputation in Southwold and the surrounding area.”
We wish Florence all the best in her new role and look forward to many more years of success for her and the Southwold team.
Pictured: Dominic Parravani presents Florence Bond with a bottle of Champagne to celebrate her promotion to Residential Sales Manager for Southwold.
Beccles library is a much needed hub for the local community and its team is working hard to bring people back together this summer after the long social separation caused by the pandemic. With an extensive program of events and big plans for future development there certainly is a lot going on.
This summer, children have the opportunity meet alpacas and miniature donkeys, owls and skunks, build their own build feeders, plant seeds and even find gold at the end of the rainbow, not to mention the Lego Club, Forest School and British sign language clubs. All these fabulous and free activities have been coordinated to run alongside the Summer Reading Challenge, a tremendous scheme run annually in libraries across the country.
“Libraries are about far more than books, we are a social care service.” Says Sharon Chapman, Beccles Library Manager. “Visitors to the library come for all sorts of reasons, which could be anything from using our PCs and printing services, attending one of our community group activities or simply just for a chat. We have groups for new parents, families with pre and school age children and for teenagers too.”
“We maintain strong links with all of the local schools. This summer, most of our volunteers have come from Sir John Leman High School, and they will be listening to younger children read as they progress though the Summer Reading Challenge, while also assisting with a very busy schedule of events and activities. We all feel it is vital to present a summer of fun and relaxation for our local community, especially after the horrible year everyone has endured.”
There are grand plans ahead for Beccles Library with an extensive refurbishment of the children’s library planned. The project, the date for which is to be confirmed, will see a total transformation of this area which will incorporate bright colours and appealing graphics to draw young visitors in. There will be child height ‘book boxes’ to promote independent choice, tables and chairs for families to come together for drawing activities and a ‘book nook’ in which to snuggle up and enjoy getting lost in the pages of a book. In addition, there are plans arrange stock and space so that young adults have their own separate area away from the children’s space.
This work is in addition to wider remedial work to the building’s roof, doors and windows which will be funded by owners of the premises, Suffolk County Council, to the value of approximately £250,000.
Durrants Charitable Foundation is delighted to have made a financial contribution of £750 to this wonderful project which will benefit families from Beccles and beyond.
“Bringing the community back together after such a long time apart is tremendously important” commented Dominic Parravani, Managing Director of Durrants. “The team at Beccles Library is doing a sterling job and their passion and enthusiasm is evident in everything they do. We are proud to support this exciting refurbishment project and look forward to seeing it come to fruition.”
Beccles Library Community Trust supports and fundraises for Beccles Library and has been instrumental in sourcing funding for the children’s library project and would be interested in speaking to anyone who is able to support them further. For more information please contact Sharon Chapman on sharon.chapman@suffolklibraries.co.uk
IMAGE: Local children enjoying the Summer Reading Challenge in the library garden.
Finding your ideal home can be a tricky business. Of course it’s essential to have a wishlist to make sure your key criteria are met, but it’s also important to approach your property search with an open mind – your ideal home might not actually look like you think it will.
Choosing a bungalow might not be something you’ve considered, after all, they do have a reputation with some for being only for the elderly; but that’s simply not the case, in fact there are quite a few advantages to owning a bungalow.
Fewer bungalows are being built in the UK yet demand remains strong. This means that bungalows hold their value and can appreciate more than other property types. That said, it is true that, due to demand, bungalows tend to be more expensive per square metre.
Many bungalows were built several decades ago when the need for housing was not as great and space was not at such a premium, so tend to have bigger plots. Outdoor space on bungalow plots typically includes a driveway as well as front and rear garden. In addition to the great outdoor space, bungalows offer more privacy, with neighbouring properties also being single storey buildings that have limited if any view into the neighbouring plot.
As we’ve already mentioned, bungalows are often thought of as for the elderly, and it’s true, they are ideal for senior living, but they’re also a great solution for families. The lack of stairs means there’s one less thing to worry about when there are youngsters toddling about, plus having bedrooms on the same level as the living areas means that children are not too far away so you can easily keep an eye on them. This is also a plus as the kids reach their teenage years and disappear into their bedrooms for hours on end to isolate themselves from the rest of the world.
Let’s face it trudging the vacuum cleaner up and down stairs is a bit of a pain. There’s none of this in a bungalow. With all the accommodation on one level, the housework is a much easier task. It’s also less challenging to carry out regular maintenance work such as cleaning windows, facias, guttering and any roofing work.
As already mentioned, bungalows tend to have larger plots with space to the rear and front of the property, giving greater potential to extend outwards. Bungalows often have large, high unused loft space too which can be perfect for extending upwards – a loft extension can make a fabulous bedroom and even and ensuite.
Due to the age of many bungalows and the typical demographic of bungalow owners (who have often lived in them since they were built), properties that come to the market are often in need of renovation or modernisation. Of course, this can deter some people but it offers a terrific opportunity to create a real transformation and make your mark on the property.
We’ve highlighted here some of the many benefits of bungalow life although, of course, some would argue the disadvantages of living in a bungalow. Some feel insecure sleeping on the ground floor, others don’t like the lack of separation between bedrooms and living areas. Weighing up the pros and cons is a personal choice. But what’s important when conducting a property search is that you check out all the options. You might just find what you’d dismissed as a ‘no’ turns out to be your forever home.
The country seems divided over the forthcoming lifting of Covid restrictions. Whilst some are delighted and keen to return to life as normal, others are approaching this next step with an element of trepidation as the media, once again, reports daily increases in Coronavirus cases.
The Test and Trace system is doing its job, but several local businesses are suffering disruption to their service levels as more and more of their staff are contacted and requested to self-isolate.
Here at Durrants the safety of our clients and staff remains paramount and we pride ourselves on the high level of service we offer our clients. We feel that relaxing our Covid-19 procedures at this stage would not be appropriate and therefore we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the safety measures we have in place for property viewings.
Whilst each request will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, an overview of these guidelines are:
Our staff will ask you prior to arranging an appointment whether you are experiencing any symptoms of Covid–19 or are self-isolating. If you or anyone in your household, is experiencing symptoms we will not be able to carry out the appointment. Viewers will also be asked the above prior to arranging a viewing.
Durrants will ask you to;
This information is correct at time of publishing (15th July 2021).
Please click here for the latest guidance for buyers and sellers.
Managing Director and Head of Residential Sales for Durrants, Dominic Parravani comments on Mr Sunak’s budget.
In his spring 2021 Budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has chosen to keep the fire under the property market well and truly alight.
The UK is now experiencing a property buying demand reminiscent of a 1970s or 1980s type boom. We know there’s a property boom when adverse events that might otherwise have knocked the market off course fail to do so. Lockdowns 2 and 3 haven’t dented the recharged enthusiasm for property purchase, which began in the first lockdown; nor have the threatened end of the stamp duty holiday or the dark cloud of a post-furlough unemployment spike.
It’s clear that the wider British public is back in love with home ownership, and the Chancellor has chosen to give that fire a further stoke. Mr Sunak has extended the stamp duty holiday from the end of March to the end of June. After this date, the starting rate of stamp duty will be halved to £250,000 until the end of September.
The Budget announcement also included a mortgage guarantee scheme to help people with small deposits get on the property ladder by offering incentives to lenders to provide 95% mortgages.
Simultaneously the Chancellor is easing the country from an end of furlough cliff edge and has turned away from increasing capital gains tax – an increase in CGT could have dented the holiday home and investment sectors. These moves point the way to a lively property market through 2021.
Out of the Chancellor’s control, but helping the market with other boosts, is the sensational march of Covid vaccinations and the pandemic-prompted and facilitated sea change in lifestyle choices.
With the public looking forward to the stepped retreat from lockdown and many people planning new ways of working between office and home, there are compelling new opportunities for buyers looking for first homes or for homes with more room in different surroundings.
As we wake up from the Covid nightmare it looks as if, aided by the Chancellor, a greater number of people will be turning some of their more pleasant lockdown dreams into realities.
Managing Director and Head of Residential Sales for Durrants, Dominic Parravani looks ahead to a busy spring in the property market.
In the wake of Covid 19 the UK experienced an exodus. This was the evacuation of urban dwellers to the land of milk and honey – the countryside.
The flight from city lockdown to a pastoral idyll was and is a compelling idea, especially when working practices have changed so much in the light of the pandemic.
But will this movement last? In a post-vaccination world there may be a gradual drifting back to the pleasures and convenience of big town or city life. But for many the change in lifestyle is now locked in. Roots have been put down in earth rather than concrete.
Despite the looming end to the stamp duty holiday deadline on March 31st there is little or no let up in demand. Lockdown 3 has brought even more buyers to the market and house price rises have reflected this.
Many exodus purchases have been a straight swap – town for country. But a good proportion of transactions have been for holiday homes with a view to longer-term permanent living through career change, altered lifestyle or retirement. This is clever thinking as any potential rises in capital gains tax could favour greater investment in principal residences, rather than second homes.
Covid19 has affected the property market in ways that we never expected, and we imagine it will continue to do so for quite a while. Unwelcome, horrifying and shattering as the disease is, for many buyers and sellers it has also unexpectedly proved to be a profound catalyst for change. If Covid19 fades in its potency into the spring and summer, we think those changes will continue to grow and become wonderful new opportunities. For many, the land of milk and honey beckons.
Since the initial lockdown in March, the demand for rural properties has increased massively due to changing property priorities and working habits.
Rightmove’s yearly review for 2020 shows that both coastal and rural areas were favoured by buyers as many moved away from central locations.
The top 10 best selling areas in the UK last year were dominated by idyllic locations, such as Devon, Surrey and Somerset.
Similarly, properties with larger living areas, dining rooms and gardens all seemed to be the most popular on the market.
With many expecting to be working from home for a while, or even swapping to remote working on a permanent basis, the significance of a central location is no longer as prevalent for buyers and tenants.
According to Rightmove, out of the top ten best selling areas of 2020, seven of those had a population of 10,000 or less, showing that life away from the hustle and bustle of the city was preferred by many during the pandemic.
Specific areas that have seen impressive growth since the outbreak are Wiltshire, Hampshire, Stockbridge, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.
Amongst these, Hertfordshire was the most popular with a 75% increase in sales year-on-year, and no evidence of this slowing down.
Similarly, suburban areas in the north west have seen the biggest price growth this year, with prices rising from £184,299 to £213,706 on average.*
Rightmove’s director of property data, Tim Bannister, said: “this year we’ve seen an uplift in the number of home-movers escaping to the country and we think this trend will continue for now as people show their willingness to make significant life changes.
“The data highlights just how influential the unexpected events of this year have been in shaping the nation’s housing priorities, with many buyers determined to swap city streets for rural and coastal retreats.”
If you’re looking to prioritise green space in your next property we’d love to help you. Click here to arrange a free property valuation and get expert advice from one of our friendly team.
If you are planning to sell or rent your property, then it’s important to get an accurate estimate of how much the property could be worth.
To give you an agent’s perspective of what that involves, we’ve provided some of the key take-away points below.
Firstly, knowing how much your property is worth is more commonly known as its ‘market value’, which relates to the price a buyer is willing to pay when considering local and national market conditions.
The value of your house can be determined by a variety of factors, such as any recent changes to the property or your neighbourhood.
Some of these factors may also include the size, location, amenities, condition and the asking price of similar houses nearby, so it’s always beneficial to talk to a local agent with familiarity selling in your area.
Valuing your house accurately is one of the most important parts of the process.
Bringing your home onto the market with an asking price that is too low could mean you receive offers below market value.
Whereas if the asking price is too high, you may not receive any offers at all, causing time delays and market stagnation as the ideal buyers are put off a home that falls outside of their price bracket.
So, whilst it can be tempting to instruct an agent based on who is offering the highest value, the risk of this is that you may need to gradually reduce your price anyway to reflect the property’s actual market value.
The best way to see how much your house is worth is through a combination of tried-and-tested
methods.
Over lockdown, it would be advisable to begin by referring to online house price calculators and valuation tools, as these will provide a guide based on Land Registry Data.
However, it’s important to bear in mind that for the most accurate and up-to-date valuation, you should organise time with an agent, as an in-person appraisal will guarantee any recent developments to your home are taken into consideration.
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.
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-18th 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.
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.
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…
