Week 28 - The Solihull Property Market

I popped into the Dorridge office this week and enjoyed catching up with Matt and Evie. It’s so nice to hear how complimentary customers are of our customer service - it’s what we pride ourselves on, sure, we don’t get it right all the time, but how we learn and move forward is what defines us. Keep up the excellent work guys - it’s a joy to see the progress that you’re making and that is echoed by the messages that I am receiving from clients at the Solihull office. Focussing on delivering the best customer service goes a huge way to setting us apart from many other agents. Make sure that you’re comparing apples with apples and not just looking for a cheap and cheerful option because Dave down the pub said “Just use them to get it on Rightmove and save your money!” - Dave obviously hasn’t sold in recent years and if he did, he lost money - he just doesn’t know it!

It’s been a an extra busy week for me this week, not least because it was my birthday but also because I’ve been trying to get two weeks work in ahead of a week ‘off’ and get a mortgage application submitted. I’ve gone with a 5yr fix at c. 4% - why, because this works for me, it brings certainty to my outgoings and is for a property that I have no intention of selling in the short term. Sure, I’d have got a lower rate had I have done this sooner but I wasn’t ready - my monthly’s are going to run at about £100 a month more than they would have, but this is still ‘affordable’ and I’m absolutely thrilled to bits to have secured it. Why am I telling you this?, because so many of you are in limbo and weighing up wether or not to bite the bullet and crack on with your move, or not. It’s all about timing, and what time suits you. This market is not going to plummet, sure it will slow a little but we have been speaking to more buyers than sellers for a long time and we continue to do so…if moving now is the right time for you, please do get in touch - the easiest way if by firing me a quick WhatsApp - 07595 903 811.

What’s the market doing, I’m going to let my teams across the business tell you how they have got on this week and what they are feeling…starting with Gabrielle my head of lettings, who is on fire!

Things are hotting up in DM & Co Lettings with another landlord joining our management portfolio after experiencing a bad service from another agent. Customer service is a key focus of ours & the proof is in the pudding, check out our google reviews! This week we have been busy helping our investors find their next purchase & with the exclusive Landlord Club off market opportunities we have, we have an offer already in the bag. I urge any investor new or experienced to join The Landlord Club today if you are looking for some cheeky off market opportunities that nobody else is getting the opportunity to see! You would be mad to be missing out! - Gabrielle Argue, Head of Lettings

Who says social media doesn’t sell houses?? Working closely with the marketing team has been so much fun this week and fruitful! All the properties we sell have a marketing strategy, starting with ‘Sneak Peaks’ and ‘Property Alerts’ on social media prior to launch, moving onto video tours, walk through videos, and professional photography. And it works! Just this week we have sold a house to a buyer who booked a viewing after watching a ‘Property Alert’. It has also been great to meet local business owners while filming our ‘Living In…’ series. We have enjoyed collaborating with independent businesses to showcase why living in the area is so desirable. If you are thinking of moving into the area, or know anyone who is, look out for these and please feel free to share them in the coming weeks. I must also mention our new boards – they have certainly been a talking point this week! Not only have they been mentioned on valuations and viewings, but the local community are also popping into the office to say they love them! So I feel it is fair to say, we have a brilliant marketing team 😊 With a busy weekend of viewings ahead, we continue to have more buyers than properties to sell, so if you are thinking of selling and would like some advice, please do call the office on 01564 777314. - Lisa Smith, Sales Director and Branch Manager in Dorridge

A good number of opportunities secured this week for off market sales with local property developers. Opportunities in Dorridge, Rowington, Barston and Solihull will be discussed confidentially away from Rightmove and all other online portals with those in the know. If you’re a property developer looking for opportunities in prime areas, get in touch to be added to our exclusive developer list for upcoming sites. Plenty of movement on the new homes sales front too with a brand new listing in Coventry and the sale of Plot 2 at Stripes Hill Farm, Knowle. Our next development to launch is now just days away and is ripe for investors looking for property with a high returns in Solihull town centre; watch this space. - Chris Evans, Head of Land & New Homes

The sun is shining, the temperatures are soaring and the Solihull sales market continues to flourish. Enquiries for valuations have soared this week with an abundance of appointments filling our diaries, but we will always make room for more! From sellers who are realising that it remains a great time to sell their property for a great price, to those who are, for whatever reason, struggling with their existing agent and getting frustrated with lack of enquires and viewings, lack of contact or feedback from their agent, we have seen a surge of enquires for our services. The word is spreading – we need more houses to sell, we don’t need to tie you into long agency agreements - if you are getting nowhere with your agent then its time for a fresh start with an agent who WILL do what they say they will, check your contractual obligations and if you are free and able to then give us a ring, drop us an email and give us a shot – I am absolutely confident that we can help you by giving honest, professional advice and a service to match. We have a board full of sales agreed already this month, lets see if we can add yours to the list – we are always up to the challenge! It’s a great time to sell, our stock is looking even more inviting than ever bathed in glorious sunshine and under blue skies – if you see a house we are marketing that you like the look of then give us a call to get in and view, and if we haven’t got anything for you then give us a call anyway and we will do our level best to find you one. Have a great week ahead and we look forward to speaking and seeing you soon! - Peter Faithfull, Solihull Branch Manager

Last week I mentioned a lady who had asked us why we were different. That same lady is still deciding on an agent. After calling every local agent by phone then selecting 5 to value the house, she has now short listed three. We have now been sent a long list of questions to answer before she chooses. Now this sounds laborious, but I really admire the fact that she is taking her time to get it right to meet her expectations. In all those questions there is not one about fee, they are about process, vetting buyers, due diligence and pricing strategies. The property is worth in excess of a million pounds, she doesn’t want it stuck on Rightmove as soon as possible (anyone can do that) but she does want to achieve the best price possible and for her agent to find the right buyer. Compare this to a buyer I met the other day, they wanted to view a house which was marketed by a 'top' on-line agent. They were one of 16 viewings. The day of their viewing they were called to say it had been cancelled as an offer had been accepted by the first viewer the previous day! How can that scenario have got the best price for the vendor? With so much interest they were highly likely to have got multiple offers - this screams of lazy agency. A home is likely the most valuable asset you have, isn’t it worth taking the time to ask the questions to help you make sure you get the best possible price, buyer and service? - Kathy Griffiths, Head of Premium

Thank you for taking the time to read this weeks market update - if you would like to know about anything property related, we would love to hear from, and help you. If you’d like to book a valuation, that is really easily done - click here!

Let’s be honest - selling your home is never going to be easy, there will always be something that doesn’t quite go to plan - what is incredibly important is how your agent reacts to these instances.

If you would like to learn more about how we operate, please get in touch with the Solihull or Dorridge office on 0121 775 0101 or 01564 777 314 respectively.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Dominic Murphy - email me here or WhatsApp on 07595 903 811

Managing Director – DM & Co. Homes