Cracking little present
THIS time next month you may be out on a Boxing Day walk, eating turkey leftovers or perhaps unpacking in a new home.Yes, there’s still a chance you could move before Christmas – as long as you want a new-build. Almost certainly you’ll also be a first-time buyer, renter or someone who has already sold your home and you’ll have your mortgage all sorted, because it’s now taking an estimated 19 weeks to complete a property sale on a second-hand home.
“Christmas is a matter of weeks away but there is still enough time to make the move before the festive season if buyers act now and choose a home that is ready to move into,” says Dean Markall, sales and marketing director of Martin Grant Homes.
New-builds are going fast, however, and at Martin Grant Homes’ Buckton Fields West development near Northampton, sales have been soaring in recent weeks as buyers continue to search for spacious homes that can accommodate what Dean describes as “a post-pandemic way of living”.
The development of two, three and four-bedroom homes is around an hour’s commute from London by train and includes a newly released £485,000 four-bedroom home that is ready to move into for Christmas and comes with a £10,000 deposit contribution (01604 438231; martingranthomes.co.uk). Help To Buy is also available for first-time buyers.
Meanwhile Karly Williams, sales and marketing director at Barratt North Thames, warns that homes available only a few weeks ago have been snapped up already. “We have only one home remaining for a 2021 move at our Linmere development at Houghton Regis in Bedfordshire – which is a great option for those looking to move in by Christmas,” she says.
The two-bedroom shared ownership apartment is part of a development surrounded by 90 acres of open space and landscaped parks and is for sale through Home Reach at £124,250 for a 50 per cent share, plus low monthly rent (0333 3558 500; barratthomes.co.uk).
This initial phase also has three and four-bedroom homes with shops, leisure facilities and new schools nearby. It’s a 10-minute drive to Leagrave railway station, with 40-minute train journeys to London St Pancras, and within easy access of the M1.
Louise Norman, associate sales and marketing director at Dandara South East, confirms that sales have been off the scale in recent months.
“Our developments in Kent have undeniably had a surge in interest from buyers moving out of London in the last year –which has certainly been a hot topic.
“As we’ve seen, many buyers now prioritise space and green areas over commutability and I’ve never seen such demand for this in the industry.”
Dandara’s Knights Wood development near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, has just a few four-bedroom homes left with one of the three-storey townhouses ready to move in for Christmas. It has a first-floor living room with sliding doors onto a balcony, as well as ground-floor open-plan kitchen-dining room. Reserve it by November 30 and it comes with a £5,000 stamp duty contribution and £2,000 towards legal fees.
These are the sort of extras many developers offer when they want to complete the last few sales on a site, so it’s worth looking at any new-build developments that have just a few homes left to sell – as long as they tick all your must-have boxes.
Buying a new home is not something you should rush into but if you’ve done all your research and are ready to move, now could be the time.
As Louise says: “If buyers act quickly, there is still a chance to start the new year in their new home.”