This blog is a seasonal guide for anyone planning on buying a home or New Build. One of the greatest occasions in making probably the largest investment of your life and buying your very own home. There is a frighteningly long list of things to consider, such as your deposit, your mortgage, the gas and electricity bills and moving all of your belongings. But what if there were ways to make it easier?
A commitment as large as this one should be considered carefully and any decisions should be made without haste. You need to check for safety and security, such as Gas Safety Certificates (GSC) and Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR). While there is already plenty to consider, the time of year which you move is also an important factor. The housing market changes in relation to the seasons and this guide will explain how you can use this to your advantage.
Winter Weather
It’s no surprise that house-hunting in the winter is a struggle. For a start, who wants to travel around and go for house viewings when it’s cold, wet and most probably pitch black by late afternoon? From a seller’s point of view, you’d be more inclined to wait until the worst of the weather has passed. From a buyer’s point of view, you’d have the same mindset.
Although winter proposes its difficulties, it also comes with advantages. For the houses that are on the market at this time, there’ll be considerably less competition. You’ll be able to go for more viewings with less fear of houses being snapped up the moment they’re available. You might even have more room for negotiation, seeing as sellers and letting agents will be keen to shift properties as soon as possible.
A Spring in Sales
Spring is one of the best times of year to buy a house. House hunting becomes more attractive in warmer weather. Sellers and buyers alike will be more motivated to get their affairs in order and begin the process.
Not only is it easier in warmer weather, but days get longer allowing for additional viewings in the evening. Houses look better when basking in the glow of sunlight. Flowers will start to bloom in gardens which increases the overall appeal of the property.
We all know how much weather affects our mood, so it’s clear to see why spring is so much more popular than winter. Although this might seem like a good thing, it does come with the disadvantage of increased prices and competition.
Summertime Surge
Summer, the most popular time of the year! The sun is at its highest in the sky, the days at their longest, and it’s the traditional holidaying season. Now that the kids are off school, you won’t interrupt their education by moving, and there’s plenty of options. Surely this has to be the best time of the year? There are lots of advantages to buying in summer, such as ideal viewing conditions and there being plenty of options on the market. However, Summer is, unfortunately, the most expensive time of year to purchase a property. As shown by a paper published by the London School of Economics, property prices in the UK increase as the weather gets warmer.
Awesome Autumn
For those on tight budgets and willing to wait for the perfect time to find their dream home, the best time of year for you is most likely going to be Autumn. While the weather isn’t as warm as it was in Summer, it won’t yet be cold enough to deter people from going about their business.
You’ll avoid the high prices of summer while still having a wide range of the remaining properties to choose from. There’ll be less competition from other buyers as many of them would have made their purchases over the Summer in the peak trading period. Even though it’s closer to Christmas, you’ll still have time left over before it gets really cold to settle in and sort out your affairs.
Conclusion
To conclude, there is no definitive ‘best’ time to move house. It will always depend on a number of things such as your budget, your location, what you are looking for in a property and what’s available at the time. But there are certain times of the year which may be better suited to your circumstances.
Just remember that regardless of what time of year you choose to move, you need to allow yourself time to take care of the important things. Whether it’s Winter or Summer, or you pay more than you planned to spend or you got yourself an absolute bargain, you still need your new home to be safe.
Between them, gas and electricity power the appliances in homes all across the UK. They’re a cornerstone of modern life, but they can be dangerous if not regulated correctly. While Gas Safety Certificates are mandatory every 12 months, Electrical Installation Condition Reports are not, despite being just as important.
Scotland has already made it a legal requirement for electrical installations to be thoroughly inspected on a regular basis, but the UK hasn’t made it mandatory yet. However, landlords and homeowners are urged to frequently check the safety of their electrical systems.
In 2015/16, 54% of all fires in the UK were caused by electricity. That’s a scary statistic and one which could have been massively reduced if EICR tests were enforced as heavily as gas safety tests. Not only do EICR tests fix any current issues in electrical wiring, but they also make sure to prevent any faults that might occur in the future.
Contact us
Here at PSS Installations, we are NICEIC approved engineers, qualified and trained to perform rigorous EICR examinations. If you’d like a quote to have a property undergo an EICR test to guarantee its electrical safety, contact us here.