There was a day when a slight shift in the bank base rate or change in stamp duty could have a profound effect on property market sentiment. Yet the Bank of England’s continuing consensus to maintain interest rates at very low levels is possibly the strongest signal to date that the British property market is actually driven increasingly by factors other than such things. The general economy, oil prices, employment, and global issues have now largely replaced house prices as a driving force in the interest rate balancing act.    

Until recently, most of us ignored the fundamentals of the national and global economy in our quest for advancement in the property arena, and focused wholly on the word on the street as to the future of the property market. We all became economic experts, sagely stating our semi-informed opinions on the future of “the market”.

Indeed, the term “the market” goes a long way towards demonstrating that we have become “market traders” over the years, rather than homeowners peacefully enjoying our chosen abode. “Get on, move on, bank the money” was the order of the day in the extended post-Thatcherite era.  

But it seems that all that has changed – and for the better. The complimentary or divergent forces at work on the fate of house prices are now so complex and confusing that even the experts seem to be at a loss to know what is happening.

However, one thing is sure. Most buyers and sellers today tend to have a sincere reason to move. They are less driven by “the market” and more driven by real-life reasons such as family issues, downsizing, a job move, leisure, convenience, practicality, and pleasure. As an estate agent, the joy of helping people move is what it’s all about. Please do contact us on 03330 430090 if you’d like to us to be involved in your own property journey.

Peter Ryder

Managing Director

Thorntons Property