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2010- A TIME FOR CHANGE

19th November 2010

After a miserable start to the year with what must have been one of the worst winters for many years, house prices and sales recorded started to recover in March and April according to the Land Registry. Nationwide's house price index then suggested house price increases in May but stability was very much the order of the day in Calderdale as our direct London rail link from Halifax and Brighouse began thanks to Grand Central. Throughout the spring and the summer the prop

2011 ..... WILL THE CUTS BLUNT THE PROPERTY MARKET!?

19th November 2010

Throughout the whole of the country I would expect that projected sales and house price growth will gradually reduce in 2011 because when a country or a business implements cuts, before recovery is possible, a period of time is necessary for diversification of businesses within that country and for those businesses within that country to re-group before they can move forward as a whole and produce growth. I see 2011 as that sort of a year where we step back before we

THE BEAUTY OF OUR AREA

19th November 2010

Will the cuts affect Calderdale as much as the remainder of the Country, I think not! I constantly promote Calderdale throughout West Yorkshire, our London office and beyond as I firmly believe that we are in a very fortunate position in respect of our commercial location. Communication links and commercial growth help greatly in benefitting a local community. In many ways Halifax is a village within very close proximity to Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester and four intern

"Hey Viva Espaņa"- Max from Halifax!

16th July 2010

@ShortTitle@ Thank goodness the world cup is all over and we can get back to business as normal and also stop receiving jokes to our mobile phones, such as Gerrard is better at club level in Ibiza than at international football. So who is Max? Some of you may have seen Max on television this week or alternatively his name proudly held by his father John Rawson during the world cup final. Max from Halifax is the son of John a friend of mine and I understand that Max is coping well with his

Equity increases

16th July 2010

@ShortTitle@ Figures released yesterday by the Bank of England have shown that UK homeowners have increased the value of their stakes in their properties by £3.26bn in the first three months of 2010. This is primarily as a result of lenders demanding higher deposits from home buyers and higher repayments on existing mortgages. This is no bad thing as the higher this figure becomes then in theory, repossessions should become less likely. This, coupled with the proposal to stop self certified mor

What's in a name?

16th July 2010

@ShortTitle@ Is there more to this statement than meets the eye? A recent survey has found that the highest value houses are to be found on a "Hill", where the average property value stands at £341,466 - well above the national average. Other names at the top of the list include "Lane", where average values are £328,378, "Mews" coming in at £294,869, "Park" at £283,069 and "Green" at £269,861 (I understand Green is becoming less popular after the world cup!). Conversely, at the other end of

Now released!!! manage your own property requirements

9th July 2010

@ShortTitle@ As Charnock Bates constantly thrive to be market leaders in promoting one of the most up to dates websites in the area, we are today launching an additional feature within our website for your personal benefit. By simply logging on to our website through the Personal Property Match Alert Button located on our website homepage (shown opposite), you are able to manage your very own property search requirements. All you need to do to register is provide your name and email address.

House prices still on an upward trend - just!

2nd July 2010

@ShortTitle@ In June the Nationwide Building Society stated that the average house price in the UK has risen only 0.1 % to a figure of £171,000 I find it quite unbelievable that as soon as there is a slowdown in the price rate increase in a month there are so called experts out there suggesting that the house market recovery is struggling. It amazes me that people have such short memories. Briefly, let's look at the facts. Over the last twelve months we have come out of recession and during 2

World cup fever slows house sales

2nd July 2010

@ShortTitle@ Thank goodness the World Cup is all over at least for England anyway. Over the last two weeks I am sure we have all been football experts shouting at the television telling Fabio Capello which team to pick and which formation to use whether it should be a diamond or Christmas tree! How on earth anybody can do their job when they can hardly speak the language and when they do, the excuse for our poor performance is that the players are tired. Somehow I don't think our clients would

How best to improve your home.

2nd July 2010

@ShortTitle@ This week a survey has been revealed with regards to how doing improvements to your home can increase the value to your property. It is important to bear in mind that these improvements produce general results and are not relevant to all types of property. It is therefore important to receive specific advice on anything you are proposing to undertake to ascertain how it might affect the value of your own home. Nevertheless, here are the top five additions that have been reported as

The World Cup is finally here

14th June 2010

@ShortTitle@ This week's breaking news has very much a sporting theme to it with the commencement of the world cup today and England's rugby game against France tomorrow. So for all of you ladies out there, please be patient with all of us men over the next month. In respect of the world cup, two stories have taken my eye. The first one is that JP Morgan had predicted England to win the World Cup. You may wish to remember when considering such a possibility that JP Morgan had to be bailed out b

Building in gardens to be history?

14th June 2010

@ShortTitle@ It has been announced this week within a new Tory policy that back gardens are no longer going to be classified as Brown Field land. The immediate impact of this is that it will be much harder for developers to demolish family homes in large gardens and replace them with blocks of flats or high density housing developments. In my opinion this is a policy that should be congratulated. Garden grabbing should be stopped, thus enabling existing homes to enjoy the space within which the

Interest Rates- same again

14th June 2010

@ShortTitle@ Yesterday the bank rate was held at a record low of 0.5% yet again which remains at a historical low since March 2009. This was the sixteenth consecutive month that the rate had not changed which is not surprising bearing in mind that the emergency budget is less than two weeks away. Thankfully the rate has remained so low for so long as I believe that any increase, even a small one, could have a negative impact on the property market. But so far so good this year with sales remain

Stay cool with a pool!

4th June 2010

@ShortTitle@ As the weather starts to pick up and the England team land in South Africa, now is the time to begin our celebrations and possibly consider buying a property with a recently built indoor pool. Below we feature three such examples and would strongly recommend an internal viewing to fully appreciate the quality of the finish and the specification that is now available in the 21st Century. For further details regarding these or any of our other properties, please visit our website at

Not very 'NICE'

4th June 2010

@ShortTitle@ This week the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended introducing a minimum price per unit for alcohol which should be reviewed on a regular basis. Having worked in property now for over thirty years, which is by definition stress related, I can only imagine that such a proposal will not be welcome news in an industry where many of its employees quite simply get by with a bottle or three! Can somebody tell me why in this country the majority alw

Nancy and Dennis Bates 60 years of married life

28th May 2010

@ShortTitle@ Please forgive me for a moment of self indulgence but I cannot let this important event take place within my family without congratulating my Mother and Father ( both of whom are in their 80s) on their wedding anniversary for 60 years of being happily married on 27th May.Nancy and Dennis were married in Chester and met whilst my father was signed up for the army during the 2nd world war (though many thought he also served in the first world war).For those of you that know my father

Has your house got kerb appeal?

28th May 2010

@ShortTitle@ When I visit a property for the first time a question that many people ask me is what can I do to my property before I put it on the market for sale? There are many perceived answers to this question that include declutter, a new kitchen or bathroom or perhaps build a conservatory, but invariably what is more important than anything particularly at this time of the year, is that you ensure that the external of your property is clean and tidy. This includes quite simply the grass, p

The new 'golden' triangle?

28th May 2010

@ShortTitle@ After the opening of the new rail link from Halifax/ Brighouse direct to London, Calderdale is fast becoming one of the quickest areas of growth in the region and at the same time more accessible than ever before. Thanks to Grand Central the 'Golden Triangle' of Calderdale could be perceived to be the Calder Valley, Ryburn Valley and Norwood Green/Lightcliffe which are all area's possessing good quality housing with easy access to Leeds and Manchester and now the capital city itsel

GORDON BROWN- THE TRUTH

30th April 2010

There surely can be no way back for our Prime minister after such a major gaffe this week. As MP's are always under the public spotlight it is inevitable that situations will arise that are embarrassing. However the one this week is surely equivalent to the gaffe made by ex football manager/ commentator Ron Atkinson which was directed towards a French coloured footballer. Needless to say he immediately lost his job. This week we have experienced Gordon Brown and as such how can any

HOUSE PRICES UP 10.5% ON THE YEAR?

30th April 2010

According to Nationwide's latest house price index prices have increased by 1% month on month in April and whilst there are many that would see this as an opportunity to talk the market up - I do not! This figure is merely attributable to the fact that house prices have started to recover from very low levels due simply to the lack of supply and demand. With many imponderables still evident within our economy such an increase should be taken with a pinch of salt. This is because as

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A CELEBRITY FOLLOWING A POLITICAL PARTY?

30th April 2010

With our General Election this time becoming more like a presidential election in America it is interesting to see which celebs have taken sides with which parties, for the blues we have Sir Michael Cain, Take that and Kirsty Allsop, whilst for the reds an Elvis impersonator and Dr Who. For the Liberal Democrats there is Boy George, David Baddiel and Sadley Kate Winslett. I think David needs to have a word with Kate!

WHERE DO THE MAIN PARTY'S STAND ON PROPERTY?

23rd April 2010

In many respects none of the parties go far enough within their manifestos to sufficiently help the construction industry. The Labour party has said that it will commit to building 50,000 new council homes over the next 5 years which doesn't even come close to reduce the five million people on the social housing waiting list. Meanwhile the Conservatives plan to abolish any form of targets and that new homes will be provided in local communities dependent upon supply and demand- whi

SHOULD GORDON BROWN BE BLAMED FOR UMEMPLOYMENT AS THE WORST IS OVER?

23rd April 2010

In times of recession where the growth of a company is limited and profit growth is restricted, this then forces companies to look into saving costs with a view to moving forward. Unfortunately this sometimes means that jobs are at risk and unemployment grows. But surely what we should be concentrating on now is that the recession is over and as a result of this it is only a matter of time before economic growth continues year on year. As reported this week from upmarket fashion la

TODAYS MARKET- WITH CHARNOCK BATES

23rd April 2010

The mild weather has certainly brought many new instructions onto the market with at the same time many sales being agreed. It is only when I look at our figures year on year that I can fully appreciate just how the market has changed. For example all of the three properties pictured below have had sales agreed upon them during this week which is representative of confidence returning to the market and people's desire to live in a variety of different locations. In respect of new i

ARE YOU SAT ON THE FENCE?

16th April 2010

After the first TV debate from the leaders of the main political parties you may still be a little confused about where to put your X in the forthcoming general election. Whilst is not my position to try and persuade you in any direction, I find the main parties' take on Home Information Packs very interesting and influential as to how the property market can operate in the future. If you have read my column before then you will no doubt be aware that before they came in I said t

MARKETS HEAD IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION

16th April 2010

The bottom line is if the banks aren't making money then the chances of anybody else making money are much reduced. Hence the news that the banking giant JPMorgan Chase has just recorded bumper quarterly profits is like music to everybody's ears. As a result of this, on Wednesday evening, the FTSE 100 index rose to its highest level for 22 months since June 2008. Needless to say the results were just as positive on Wall Street, suggesting that the worst is possibly over in Ameri

ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED SURVEYORS - MONTHLY REPORT

16th April 2010

The survey has reported that confidence is returning to the marketplace at a pace not seen since May 2007. This is in particular regard to the supply of property coming onto the market. Many agents are still reporting that enquiries and demand do not match with supply and as such it is expected that because of this, prices will remain static for some time with no noticeable increases to be seen for the foreseeable future. As I have said for some time, I think that this is a heal

Feel Good Friday!

2nd April 2010

After a miserable start to the year with what must have been one of the worst winters that we have experienced for many years I cannot believe that we have already reached Easter. That said the weather conditions are certainly not been illustrative of the property market's recent performance. As Easter is upon us we are pleased to report that we have had a cracking March as the market place has resumed to normal service. This is also confirmed by recent statistics with recent price

The ongoing debate over stamp duty

2nd April 2010

It would appear that this subject is being used as one of the political tools in the run up to the general election. This was illustrated only last week with Alistair Darlings rather desperate attempt to pinch Peter to pay Paul in order to help first time buyers. What he did in my opinion was just merely meddle with what is yet another of our unfair taxes. Unfortunately in this country our taxation system always seems to be both politically and class driven when in fact what is t

The economy continues to improve

2nd April 2010

Whilst there are reports of inflation increasing slightly and the pound not performing particularly admirably in the currency market, it is still good to be able to report that money remains cheap as interest rates remain low but more importantly our gradual climb out of recession has recently been reported to be 0.4% growth. This figure is as a result of our performance during the quarter October- December but what is important is that this figure is higher than anticipated. I sup

ALISTAIR DARLING WALKS ON A TIGHT ROPE IN HIS CIRCUS BUDGET

26th March 2010

In a budget that can only be described as a cheap, cleverly disguised policy full of tax increases, his performance was a clown-like attempt to punish those people that are working whilst trying to achieve votes from the people who are sitting on the fence. Throughout his budget, Alistair Darling was seen spinning plates, juggling balls and jumping through hoops before finally sitting down in glorified self admiration to receive a pat on the back from the big cat himself - Gordon

ARE YOU A FIRST TIME BUYER?

26th March 2010

With every piece of legislation, whether it be laws or rules, they are always open to interpretation and by pure definition, made to be broken. I think we would all agree that Alistair Darlings 'first time buyer' is ideally somebody between the ages of 18-30 who as yet has not purchased their first home. But what about grandparents that are currently returning from abroad who have always previously lived in rented accommodation in England - are they not first time buyers? What abo

IS THE PROPERTY MARKET RETURNING TO NORMAL?

26th March 2010

With many economic indicators heading in the right direction such as inflation, unemployment and markets remaining steady, it would appear that the word recession is one of the past. However, as we all know, until our debt is addressed then things will really not improve. But the property market is proving to be resilient. A property research company this week has talked about improved market conditions, price increases and an encouraging number of householders willing to sell thei

HOUSE PRICES

19th March 2010

There is presently much speculation at the moment about whether house prices will increase, fall or remain stable in the coming months as a result of a number of inponderables, firstly, the budget, secondly the impending general election and thirdly the Nations debt. The overriding problem is of course the size of our debt and ultimately there is only one way to sort this out and that will be painful by increasing tax. Will this impact on house prices? Inevitably anything that remo

MORE PROOF, IF NEEDED, THAT HOME INFORMATION PACKS ARE A WASTE OF TIME.

19th March 2010

If you are a follower of my column you will be well aware of my views on HIPS and that ever since the time they came into being it would only be a matter of time before they were abolished. My argument has received sustained support since we had to produce this document due to their lack of usefulness, the fact that they are out of date so quickly and what has become apparent more recently is that some information within the document is frequently incorrect. This has been proven re

ARE YOU A "DAVE"?

19th March 2010

As we build up to the general election we are presently seeing the two respective leaders of the main parties attempting to be fashionable, firstly by being interviewed by Piers Morgan and secondly by Sir Trevor McDonald. What have we learnt from these programmes? From the Piers Morgan interview, that people refer to Gordon Brown as "a plonker" and from the latter programme that David Cameron's wife refers to David as "Dave". All very strange, somehow David Cameron is just not a

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AT A SEVEN YEAR HIGH

12th March 2010

This is as a result of falling mortgage rates and very slight increases in average earnings, offset against any changes in house prices. Therefore, strictly speaking our homes are cheaper today - that is of course if you are able to secure a mortgage, which unfortunately continues to be difficult. There is a distinct need for our financial institutions to review their loan to value (LTV) procedure. What is the point in having houses which are more affordable if we cannot afford

CALDERDALE HOMES REMAIN EMPTY

12th March 2010

When I see news reports throughout the country, I find it absolutely incredible that in modern times we have so many homes empty. Figures have just been released in Calderdale that 3,300 homes are empty, of which more than 1,000 have been empty for over three years, despite the fact that there are presently 8,000 people on Pennine Housing's re-housing list. Surely something is wrong? Ironically, a Council director has suggested that the reason for this is that there are many hom

CAN'T AFFORD TO DIE!

12th March 2010

Can you believe the next Labour Party idea to get more tax out of us is to take 10% out of our estate when we die? And the way that they support this being a good idea is that at least you will get the remaining 90%. That's if it doesn't go over the threshold for Inheritance Tax, in which case we will inevitably pay even more tax. How is this related to property matters I hear you ask? Well I couldn't believe it when I read in a national newspaper this week about a poll that is b

WHERE IS THE MARKET GOING?

23rd February 2010

There are some so called experts out there, predicting that there may be a double bounce on the drop of house prices and that the credit crunch has not left us. I think you would all agree with me that the word recession and credit crunch are heard less frequently than they were a year ago. As a result of this I find such predictions to be absolutely unjustifiable and nothing short of ridiculous. For example, it has recently been reported that house prices have slightly risen as

SHOULD I BUY NOW?

23rd February 2010

The short answer to that is that as long as you are buying and selling within the same marketplace you cannot lose, as long as your purchase follows very quickly after you have completed your sale. Should there be a gap between the two transactions, then you are in that position of possibly missing the market should prices start to increase, which ultimately they will. Perhaps the most interesting and difficult question to answer is should I buy now if I am in a cash fluid positi

ITEMS THAT CAN DE-VALUE YOUR HOME

23rd February 2010

As estate agents we are always trying to put a positive slant on the market whilst at the same time trying to offer advice on how to improve the value of your home. Whether it be by creating a fourth bedroom, adding a sun lounge or replacing kitchens and bathrooms. Whilst these items can affect the value of your property, on many occasions this may not be the case and such a judgement is dependent upon the circumstances of each property. But in a report published this week, ther

RECESSION - ARE WE OUT OF THE WOODS YET?

4th February 2010

Whilst "Tiger" isn't, there are distinct signs the tide has turned in respect of our economy. Whilst we have only recently crawled out of recession it is fair to say that as I stand here today in the first week of February the signs within the housing market are distinctly more positive than they were twelve months ago. We do not want to bounce back from recession quickly and in truth this is realistically impossible, but slow, sustained growth is more proactive for all of us. H

ARE HOUSE PRICES REALLY ON THE INCREASE?

4th February 2010

Apparently they are, if we are to believe the Halifax Price Index. According to this index, prices rose for the seventh consecutive month in January by 0.6%, leaving house prices 3.6% higher compared to a year earlier. However, it would be foolish of us to think that our home today is worth more than it was twelve months ago, irrespective of these figures, because such a small percentage increase is almost impossible to quantify. The good news in my eyes is that to me this at le

PROPOSED STAMP DUTY CHANGES

4th February 2010

Since Stamp Duty exemption went back down to £125,000 as from the 1st January 2010, this has most definitely had a negative impact on the first time buyers mentioned above. This is an issue that was recently discussed in the House of Lords and as a result of this the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has put forward a new Stamp Duty proposal which briefly states that Stamp Duty should not be charged for first time buyers and older people downsizing. At the same time the RICS

NEW YEAR - AT LAST!

22nd January 2010

I very much hope that all your celebrations went well over the New Year but will this year be prosperous? That is the million dollar question! It is at this time of year that experts make their predictions as to what will happen throughout the year. May I remind you that many of these experts were last year predicting that the recession would be with us for some considerable time and that house prices would reduce. Neither of these predictions were correct. I in fact predicted, in

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

22nd January 2010

All the signs are for a positive 2010. We are on the back of a surprising jump in mortgage approvals in December, unemployment has recently reduced for the first time in some considerable period of time, Sterling has risen to a four month high against the Euro and house ownership/ affordability is still very much the order of the day. It has been reported recently that reduced borrowing costs means people moving house needed 10.6% of gross income to cover their mortgage interest p

LOCAL NEWS

21st January 2010

Locally we are also able to report positive news. Initially, one has to congratulate Calderdale Council by reducing council tax by 1% this year, although how this will impact upon next year's salt supplies and dustbin collection is anybody's guess! Pennine housing association has just bought the once famous Gannex Mill site in Elland which extends to 9.1 acres. This is surely good news for the local economy. Finally , the link between London and Halifax is getting closer with thre

The Internet - friend or foe?

6th November 2009

In this time of a technologically led residential property market. It has just been proven that to market your property thoroughly is the right way to proceed as the hits on rightmove.co.uk have increased recently for the first time in 6 months together with the number of agents subscribing to the site, therefore, I am sure you would all agree that the internet has revolutionised property buying and selling and maximum exposure is always advised to ensure that one maximises th

The importance of good schooling

6th November 2009

Within this column I constantly reiterate the importance of living in the right place for schooling, employment, communications and other local amenities. A study published this week has picked up on my thoughts particularly in respect of good schooling, this survey has stated that there are places becoming known as 'educational super towns' stating that the average house price is 10% more than typical homes outside the catchment areas of quality schools. Whilst Calderdale doe

The week in brief

6th November 2009

What on earth is going on? Who is our leader? I always thought we lived in a democracy but I'm not sure any more. The signing of this treaty merely waters down the importance of this country even further as the control that we had over our shores is rapidly diminishing. I think the message is there for us all to see, when you don't know what you are doing you pass the book to a third party. In the same way that Gordon Brown has made yet another mistake I wish somebody could e

More female's needed for the Tories?

23rd October 2009

David Cameron is threatening to split his party as he attempts to put forward a proposal that short lists should only contain women for selected parliamentary candidates, in an attempt to increase the number of female MPs in the next general election. Whilst at first this does not seem fair, bearing in mind equal opportunities, how can anyone argue with the suggestion when it appears that many of our male mps are actually cloning themselves on David Cameron himself. For example th

Abolition of Stamp Duty

23rd October 2009

This headline would be like music to my ears as I am sure it would be to most of you out there who either owns a property or buys and sells property on a regular basis. In the near future this may be achievable or certainly some sort of relaxation on the ridiculously high percentages that are charged on properties over £250,000. With this in mind the National Association of Estate Agents have formed a coalition, called the 1808 coalition, named after the year the duty was first int

The week in the news

23rd October 2009

Following on from my previous article where I comment on the need to be fair and reasonable I am a little bit confused at the decision this week by the Officer of Fair Trading who have announced that they have found no evidence that ties between pub companies and landlords are harming competition in the pub sector. This decision has been reached at a time when pubs are within their hour of need as their businesses dwindle away or close due to a variety of reasons. A recent report h

THE WEEK IN BRIEF

16th October 2009

What a difference a week makes whether it be in business, politics or sport. England cruise into the world cup finals after being tortured by the Ukraine after we were all tortured at Wembley by the facial hair on David Beckham ( who correct me if I am wrong I thought he put his name to advertising shaving products and gel etc?!). In politics MP's continue to argue amongst themselves about expenses with the speaker totally embarrassing himself. But at least in business the economy

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

16th October 2009

Whilst always been an admirer of horses I yesterday looked out of my office window to be greeted surprisingly by the most famous horse of them all which is of course the black horse logo of Lloyds. Yesterday afternoon we experienced the erection of this famous landmark on what was once the head office of Halifax PLC. As a Halifax person this of course is sentimentally a very sad day but all is not lost as beneath the Lloyds banking group logo they have retained the most famous logo

SPECIAL AUTUMN OPEN WEEKEND

16th October 2009

As a result of much renewed interest in the residential property market we have decided this weekend to open some of our houses for an open viewing for one hour. During this time you are very welcome to come and visit these houses where you will meet Charnock Bates staff who will provide you with helpful advice should you be interested in purchasing any one of these properties. We are anticipating a very busy weekend as a result of recent sales figures and mortgages becoming more e

SOBERING THOUGHTS FROM THE BLUES.

9th October 2009

As we progress through party conference season many outstanding issues have been discussed, whilst not being resolved. One of them is that we have firmly established that Gordon Brown has one person that loves him, apart from himself, and that is Mrs Brown. Another is the Conservative thoughts on alcohol. The Shadow Home Secretary has stated quite firmly that a Tory government would "call time on drinks that fuel anti-social behaviour." The way in which this would be achiev

ARE YOU FEELING GOOD?

9th October 2009

Over the last two years, if one was to ask many businesses how they are performing they may have answered "its quiet", "the market isn't there any more", or just quite simply "the market is not as good as it was". For some of you in business I am quite sure that you can relate to some of these sayings over this period of time. However, the one that has been on the tip of everyone's tongue has been the lack of the feel good factor in the marketplace. But do not fear, I am re

HOUSING MARKET CONTINUES TO IMPROVE

9th October 2009

The definition of an improving housing market is not one where house prices are necessarily increasing beyond control, but where we generally have an economic equilibrium in the marketplace. This provides the seller with a realistic chance of selling his house at a realistic price, whilst at the same time it allows the buyer to look for their home in a relaxed manner, without the fear of being caught out by escalating price increases. Whilst many surveys are suggesting at t

MORTGAGE VALUATIONS- HOW WE CAN ALL HELP?

2nd October 2009

As I have repeatedly commented in this column to value a property is an inexact science, not alone at a time when there is so much volatility in the market place, but why do I ask myself are mortgage valuers over optimistic in the good times but then over corrective when times that are not quite as rosy . I constantly remind people that in valuing property we should be valuing as at today's date and not discount in the future for factors that may or may not happen. All we can ask

THE SUN SETS IN BRIGHTON

2nd October 2009

I never thought I would see the day where I could possibly declare myself a Sun Newspaper reader, apart from of course the racing column on a Saturday morning, but after this week's debacle in Brighton then it would appear that anything goes. Even the Sun readership has given Labour a vote of no confidence in favour of David Cameron's Tories as we prepare for a general election. This I feel is quite bizarre not only because of the Sun readership poll but Labours present unpopularit

PRICE RECOVERY CONTINUES

2nd October 2009

The average house price in August showed a slight improvement by 0.1% which continues to prove what I have been saying for some time that the market place has stabilised. Such a small increase is impossible to quantify but if nothing else confirms that some form of parity has been achieved in the market place. Where do we go from here and what does the autumn hold for us? In short the answer to the matter is very much of the same, as I anticipate that the slow recovery will continu

The market recovery continues.

18th September 2009

As we enter the autumn selling period the economic indicators continue to improve despite rising unemployment. The FTSE 100 index has this week gone over the 5000 point barrier for the first time since the Lehman brothers crash, inflation has dropped again to 1.4% and remarkably the American new house building industry is picking up against all odds which can only help to point the UK in the right direction. These positive signs have been further confirmed in a recent Royal Instit

The grass is always greener.

18th September 2009

A recent report published by a financial institution based on a survey conducted on urban and rural living has shown that the strength of the property market is greater in the countryside than in urban areas. What this report has briefly concluded is that the steep decline of property values over the last 18 months has been less notable than the declines noted by city dwellers. The report also concludes that the cost of houses in rural areas is typically 21% higher than those in to

The great divide-unemployment

18th September 2009

When compared to 12 months ago almost all economic indicators are now heading in the right direction. With the country virtually reaching stability in respect of interest rates, inflation, property prices, economic growth and the recovery of the stock market. Whilst, admittedly the country has horrific debt, eventually I am sure this will improve . The way in which this is going to be achieved is of course going to be very much dependent upon the political party that leads us in t

House prices still on the up

11th September 2009

The Halifax have said this week that house prices have risen for the second month in a row during August, increasing by 0.8%. Whilst not wanting to put a dampener on good news I would just suggest that we all express a little bit of caution over such reported statistics. I have commented before in this column about how dangerous statistics can be and in a market place which is trying to stabilise, it would be completely irrational for people to start thinking that their home is wor

Interest rates stay the same again!

11th September 2009

After claims from many commentators recently suggesting that Britain may be emerging from recession it perhaps has come as no surprise that yesterday the Bank of England opted to keep the interest rate unchanged at 0.5%. I feel that a change from this figure at this moment in time, where the market place is showing signs of recovery, to do anything else would have been catastrophic. Remarkably I read an article this week suggesting that there is a chance of interest rates moving do

Recession is over

11th September 2009

With the property market stabilising, the FTSE100 hitting a new 11 month high yesterday, interest rates remaining unchanged and with growth in the gross domestic product there is a general feeling that Britain could be moving out of recession and that the worst downturn since World War II has come to an end. In recent months I have confidently being saying that this is happening but we will not have moved any further in the right direction until such time as banks become more gene

Autumn- What does the property market have in store?

20th August 2009

As exam results fall onto doormats, schools slowly reopen after the summer break and the final day of summer has just passed, it is difficult to comprehend that Autumn now beckons. Thus far what a traumatic year! I don't think there were many at the beginning of this year who could predict that by the end of summer the recession would be showing signs of turning the corner. The property market continues to show positive signs and there is absolutely no reason to suggest that this s

Do you have the X factor?

20th August 2009

DO YOU HAVE THE X FACTOR? As the X-Factor returns to our screens on Saturday night, instead of exercising your vocal chords, why don't you take time this weekend to look at your own property in an attempt to address its curb appeal before possibly bringing it to the market this autumn, or at the beginning of next year. Many people ask me my advice when visiting their properties as to the best way in which to improve their home or make it more saleable. Should I put in a new kitc

Mortgage valuers- please be realistic!

14th August 2009

This is the message that is coming from the National Association of Estate Agents as many sellers and buyers are currently suffering as a result of over-cautious valuations. Peter Bolton-King, Chief Executive of the NAEA, has said that several members have heard of cases where lenders have given specific instructions to their valuers as to how valuations should be approached. This is something that I have picked up on in recent months within this column and have warned valuers to t

European economy strengthens.

14th August 2009

I am absolutely speechless to read this week that the French and German recessions have come to an end with both the German and French gross domestic product rising in the second quarter. Both of these countries have therefore managed to come out of recession sooner than the UK. It is thought that the abrupt recovery in the German market place is as a result of a sound manufacturing and service industry based environment. When asked to comment on the resurgence within the French ec

Guarantees to buy your home- Beware!!!

7th August 2009

Unfortunately when a market place is experiencing turbulent times there is always winners and losers and now is no different. If you are currently experiencing difficult times due to personal experiences such as the misfortune of redundancy then beware of those people offering to help you. There are many businesses that have set up recently to guarantee that they will purchase your home regardless of its condition or location. These people sell themselves to you on the basis of a q

Consumer confidence

7th August 2009

Whilst many people are holidaying and sweltering under the heat of our very own BBQ summer the property market cautiously continues to sizzle without getting too excited and becoming overdone. Locally I am able to report steady progress with sales at realistic prices whilst at the same time they appears to be a reluctance too bring to many new properties to the market. I, therefore, would like to bring to everyone's attention that the market place is active and should take up to d

Market Bottoms Out

31st July 2009

As I have confidently predicted within this column for the last several months many economic commentators are now beginning to agree with me that the market has bottomed out. This has been re-iterated by a well known local Building Society who have said that activity is now well up on the levels that were reached in 2008. This has also resulted in the same building society reporting pre tax profits of millions of pounds for the six month period until the end of June. This is extrem

House prices on the up?

31st July 2009

After Sterling against the Dollar and the Euro has strengthened this week it was announced yesterday that house prices have increased for the third consecutive month. Whilst these are all positive signs in respect of the economy heading in the right direction this by no way means that this recession is over. Restrictive supply which is due to many reasons one of which is the need to now produce a Home Information Pack and a slight increase in the accessibility of mortgage funding

Sporting Diversification from the recession

24th July 2009

In times where the news headlines are dominated by War and Worldwide recession it is somewhat refreshing recently to benefit from some home grown sporting success. As our Prime Minister openly admits his interest in the Ashes series, which he surely be more knowledgeable on than our economy, he must be pleased to see England go one up in the Ashes series now that the Test Matches are being played in England rather than Wales. To follow on from this great result we have a great pe

House Price and market stability

24th July 2009

As I have confidently predicted over the last few months I always felt the house price recession would follow very much what happened in the late 80s/90s even though many of the circumstances are different, such as low interest rates etc. However, the market place continues to be resilient with prices at the very least remaining stable now for a period of several months. I confidently expect this to continue as Banks gradually put faith in their customers and start offering new p

Home Shortage

17th July 2009

As revealed in a recent RICS report there is a suggestion that the recent stability in the dropping of house prices is as a result of a shortage of new homes coming onto the market. Demand has also increased as confidence in the market place has most definitely retuned as vendors / prospective vendors are beginning to offer their properties for sale at realistic prices therefore reflecting a 20% drop from the peak in 2007. This reduction was a necessity in order to assist first tim

British Bank- Record profits

17th July 2009

Following on from my previous comments it is quite ironic at the moment that this week there has been much discussion with regards to bank profits, bank wages and bonus's paid to senior bank staff . For example the British Bank Standard Charter have this week announced record profits for the first quarter for their Asian focused bank. The US based Goldman Sachs has already reported record profits for the first half of the year and JP Morgan are also expecting similar figures. It

Successful bids approved for eco-towns

17th July 2009

Following on from my comments in last week's breaking news in respect of Prince Charles 'Do Gooding' for the environment and the world it comes as no surprise that this week there were four successful bids for eco- towns predominantly in the south of England. Needless to say these towns are going to receive a huge amount of Government finance in order to sustain these projects with each of these towns going to have 2000 carbon neutral homes, energy efficient offices, new schools e

Market hots up as weather cools down.

10th July 2009

Whilst many commentators in the media are complaining about the lack of supply in new instructions coming to the market we are able to report that recently there has been a dramatic increase in this department. There being two notable new instructions this week in Pike End Farm Rishworth and Greenroyd Close, Skircoat Green. Both of which are in complete contrast to each other and offer different facilities to different buyers and at different prices. Pike End Farm offers the

The planet- by royal appointment.

10th July 2009

On Wednesday Prince Charles addressed a live audience in his Richard Dimbleby lecture warning that ' If we fail the earth we fail humanity.' His speech concentrated on the environment, nature, climate change and the way in which we seem to be paranoid about the disruption of our planet. All of his comments were admirable and well meaning in talking about the loss of rain forests, the impact on nature and wild life and that now we have a real opportunity that if we address the

Interest Rates- if nothing else consistant.

10th July 2009

The Bank of England yesterday stated that interest rates are to stand at 0.5% the lowest in 315 years allowing the economy the opportunity of financial recovery and stability. This predictability and consistency from the Bank of England is allowing all of us an opportunity to plan forward with some knowledge of what our financial out goings are/ will be whilst at the same time financial institutions are now starting to offer savers fixed rate bonds allowing a competitive year

What a crazy week!

3rd July 2009

Since my last column Michael Jackson has passed away, Andy Murray has reached the Wimbledon men's semi finals, we have experienced a heat wave and it has just been reported that house prices have gone up for the 3rd month in a row. All of those four events are hard to believe but the one I feel the most qualified to comment on is the consistent increase in the rise of house prices. This just goes to show how wrong statistics can be as at best I think it is fair to comment that th

Market report and notable new instructions

3rd July 2009

With sales increasing in June as the property market hot's up with the weather there are continued signs that the worst of this recession is behind us. Over the last month it has become quite evident that the mortgage deals offered to first time buyers have gradually started to help the rest of the property market as sales of higher priced properties are gradually starting to filter through the system. With sales increasing this is also offering encouragement to people who are eith

Order Order Order! Or not, as the case may be.

25th June 2009

As the new speaker takes his place in the House of Commons how can we ever trust these people to run our country when under a secret ballet a man is voted into this position as a Tory but is with rapturous applause from the reds. After the farcical situation that has just occurred with MP's expenses I think this is just about the icing on the cake. Change is only good if it is transparent and a step in the right direction, not one where even MP's seem to be treating their

New house, second hand or improve my home?

25th June 2009

There are arguments for and against all 3 options but there has never been a better time to buy. Relative to the cost of building and the price and value of building land the cost of a new home relative to other opinions has never been better. The obvious benefits of such are 10 year guarantees, everything in the property is new and occasionally you can personalise your move to your own specification within reason. In certain circumstances you may also get a good deal as

Market Report

25th June 2009

Whilst we are not yet at the end of June we are pleased to report that this month is proving this far to be the best month of the year so far. We have agreed more sales than in any other month and market activity has warmed up together with the weather. But if this is to be sustained the government needs to address unemployment which is at its highest over the last 3 years. This is coupled with the highest number of small businesses going out of business also within the l

Market activity remains Bullish.

19th June 2009

The property market is obviously experiencing peaks & troughs at the moment as there are many imponderables affecting the market on a daily basis. However, generally speaking office and website activity remains busy with no let up whatsoever in the receipt of offers and people making viewings. This is supported by recent figures published by the National Association of Estate Agents stating that in May there has generally been 4 House Hunters for every property on the mar

End of the recession?

12th June 2009

As many of you will have read this week in the news many economic reporters are intimating that the recession may be heading for an abrupt halt. This is as a result of many economic indicators over recent months to say that our output as a country is improving . Whilst some would argue that such predictions are dangerous there are many reasons to believe that this could well be the case. When you consider what happened in the UK and world economy throughout 2008 it is actually ver

The News is back and so are the sales!

5th June 2009

After a week involving the valuing of stud farms in Ascot, time spent in our London office and briefly advising a client in the Canary Islands I am pleased to be back in our rather cool Halifax Office. During which time I am pleased to report much activity in the Spring property market which is resulting in many sales being agreed. These figures and activity are also being confirmed by the National Association of Estate Agents who are quoted as saying 'That the sales bein

Home Information Packs-boring I hear you say

5th June 2009

HOME INFORMATION PACKS - BORING I CAN HEAR YOU SAY If any of you feel as strongly about this subject as I do then I would strongly advise you to take note of the Tories new launch on the abolition of HIPS. Since the 6th April 2009 and the implementation of new legislation which basically meant that a property needs a HIP before it can be marketed. Not only is this pack timely to produce it is also extremely expensive and the Government should be aware of the usefulness o

Internet Report

5th June 2009

For the benefit of our clients Charnock Bates provide a first class website which provides up to date news and information, full sales brochures on properties and location plans outlining specific positions of all of our properties. In addition to this for the benefit of our clients we subscribe to Primelocation.com and rightmove.co.uk. The digital property group who own primelocation.com have reported over 4,000,000 unique visitors to their site for the fourth month in s

Thank goodness for MPs expense claims as property sales reach 18 month high.

22nd May 2009

We have a lot to thank the daily telegraph for, not just for unearthing the common thieves amongst our Members of Parliament, but for also taking out of the media spotlight anything to do with property, unemployment and this so called recession. So thank you to all our MP's for taking these slightly more important issues out of the spotlight. However whilst this has been going on the National Association of Estate Agents have reported that house sales per month by estate agen

Charnock Bates charity ball

22nd May 2009

Against all the odds we are pleased to report that the sixth annual Charity Ball was a resounding success with over 160 people letting their hair down to circus entertainment and top band Psycoslinkys. Thousands of pounds have been raised for Overgate Hospice as yet again a locally based charity benefits from local business people and Charnock Bates in the community. The money was raised from a variety of auction and raffle prizes and a holiday abroad which included a weeken

Live free for 1 year at Burwood Court Holywell Green!!! Open to view Sun 17th 10-4pm

15th May 2009

Burrwood Court this weekend is open for viewing on Sunday from 10.00 till 16.00 with great offers being available for first time buyers. In addition to the availability of a full furniture packages first time buyers could also benefit from having all their service bills paid for 12 months from the date of completion to include gas, electricity, council tax and service charges. See our main advert for further details.

Spain shows the way forward

15th May 2009

The country's second largest mortgage lender the Abbey, which is owned by Santander of Spain, has made a positive decision this week with regards to offering fixed rate deals. In this regard they have reduced the minimum deposit required from 40% to 30% which gives added confidence to the house buying market at a time when the likelihood of low interest rates would appear to be remaining low for another year. Such a move by the Abbey is one which should be congratulated as

First time buyers rise by 36% in March

15th May 2009

In line with all the above positive noises being made in respect of the housing market at the moment the Council of Mortgage Lenders have recently confirmed this significant increase in March. That said the numbers are still very low in comparison with recent years due to constraints being imposed upon potential borrowers but at least this is a major step forward in what is the beginning of the housing market food chain. This increase is, of course, being stunted by the dep

New homes market

8th May 2009

Whilst it has been reported in many quarters this week that the service and retail industry is improving but what is of more interest to this column is that the construction industry is also showing signs of recovery with more schemes beginning and new homes sales agreed. The Willowfield site off Burnley Road approx 1 mile from Halifax is typical of these signs of improvement as construction work has recommenced on a site which is in a very highly regarded residential locat

Yorkshire fairs well in house price list

8th May 2009

In a survey recently published on 12 month house price reductions it is interesting to note that Yorkshire has featured 8th in this list with other counties such as Greater London, South East and the North West all showing bigger drops over the same period. The average reduction over the last year on house prices has been reported to be 17.7% whilst in Yorkshire the corresponding figure is 16.8% which shows that we are below average with regards to house price reductions in

The Calm after the storm

1st May 2009

After a heroic performance by Alistair Darling in the budget, which proved nothing short of a non event, we are now experiencing the after effects of what was a minor tremor rather than an earthquake impacting on our economy. I think the message is out there for us all to see, if you don't sort out your own business then nobody will give you any assistance in order to help you. Therefore, it is up to us all to be positive as there are clear signs of recovery in the property market

UK house prices down in April

1st May 2009

According to the Nationwide house price survey, house prices in the UK have fallen by 0.4%. How one actually quantifies this figure is anybody's guess as the market is presently better than it has been at any time over the previous 18 months. However, what is more interesting is that the same survey has suggested that house prices have fallen by 3.1% over the last quarter as opposed to a 4.1% fall in the quarter before that. This would indicate that what I have said above is correc

New developments open this bank holiday weekend

1st May 2009

This weekend we have new developments open to view from one end of Calderdale to the other. At The Willows in Shelf and Stonecroft Fold, Luddenden Foot prices vary on these developments from £390,000 to £439,950 with part exchange being available on both sites. See our main advert for further details and our website for directions to these 2 sites.

Move Home for nothing!!!!!

24th April 2009

Plot 5 show home at Greenfield, Sowerby open to view this weekend and would fully recommend viewing the show home to fully appreciate the great lengths that our clients have gone to in respect of style and specification in order to provide value for money in 2009. Greenfields development are 5 new detached houses off Towngate in Sowerby which are very competitively priced in 2009's market. Phase 1 Greenfields now released!! we will be opening the show house on Sat and Sun 25th

National Coverage for Jillyroyd House

17th April 2009

Were always trying to get the best for our clients, and within the last two weeks Jillyroyd has been featured for our client totally "free of charge" within the Property section of The Daily Telegraph as well as on its website.

Spring Launch of Our New Corporate Magazine

17th April 2009

We are pleased to announce the launch of our spring edition of our corporate magazine with our view of Calderdale and a selection of properties for sale in West Yorkshire. To pick up your copy either call in to the office or telephone 01422 380100 and we will be more than happy to send one to you in the post. Alternatively the magazine is available for viewing as an E-book on our website.

Preliminary announcement of sale

3rd April 2009

Crossley House, Halifax. It is very rare that such an opportunity comes available within anybody's lifetime but we are now proud to announce that we have recently been instructed to sell what can only be described as one of the most impressive and imposing Grade 2* Listed property's in West Yorkshire, namely Crossley House. The property today remains in superb condition both internally and externally and offers great potential for either commercial or domestic use subject to the

World Leaders hit London

3rd April 2009

As I sat down for breakfast this week with Gordon Brown and Barack Obama I thought to myself of the good this is doing for the country and can do us no harm in trying to promote what this country offers and what we are all about. Whilst many of us are experiencing difficult times at the moment, for the UK to be at the centre of trying to resolve the current credit crunch only heightens the importance of our position within the current worldwide economic rankings. Whether it be mone

Market report

1st April 2009

As I have kept reporting for several months in this column the property market is not as depressed as many would have you believe. This is borne out by the recent announcement that the cost of a home in the UK has increased by 0.9% during March. As a result of this one should not make the assumption that house prices are rising, as that would be foolish, but at the very least this does suggest that prices may be stablising.

Launch of new website.

1st April 2009

In times when many are looking to cut costs we have decided to further invest in new technology and the redesign of our brochures. Those companies that invest today will be ready for the market tomorrow. Over recent months we have been working on the launch of our new website by trying to strengthen areas which we believe were previously weaknesses. The site is now much sharper, easily accessible, simple to use and allows for viewing of our glossy brochures and increased sizing of

Media hype house price falls 13/03/2009

13th March 2009

It has been reported in certain daily newspapers that further house price falls are imminent. I find this comment extremely interesting and totally unjustifiable, when the person who has made this comment has said that we should look at history for the future. On this note one should remember that in the last house price recession, prices dropped by 20% - this has already happened in the last 12 months. So stability is now the order of the day as liquidity of cash becomes more ge

Rare property antique comes to the market 13/03/2009

13th March 2009

We are very pleased to announce the sale of a Grade 2 * Listed house in Soyland, namely Great Greave Farm at a guide price of £795,000. To view a description of the property's listing see the English Heritage website, www.imagesofengland.org.uk

Charnock Bates in the community - Warley Cricket Club.

5th March 2009

Our involvement in supporting sporting clubs continues and we are pleased to announce that we have renewed our sponsorship deal with Warley Cricket Club for 2009. Warley Cricket Club won the Halifax League in 2008 and we will this year sponsor items of their clothing and recently acquired covers and we wish them all the very best as the new season quickly approaches.

New Instruction - The Gables, Brighouse £650,000

5th March 2009

We have taken on many new instructions this week, but one of particular interest is the Architect designed new build property The Gables in Brighouse by Smith Rodgers Design of Brighouse. The property is extremely energy efficient and incorporates many interesting design features to include exposed beams, a balcony and an impressive double fronted appearance which is constructed predominately of glass.

PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR SALE - SKIRCOAT GREEN

27th February 2009

We are pleased to bring to the market place a very rare opportunity for an individual to purchase a brand new 6 bedroomed house in the Skircoat Green area. The property offers very spacious family accommodation, a high specification, good sized gardens and a double garage. Contact the office for further information.

HOME INFORMATION PACK UPDATE

27th February 2009

If you are thinking of placing your property on the market over the next month you may wish to note a change in legislation as of 6th April 2009. From this date all properties must have a HIP before the property comes onto the market. At the moment this is not the case. Needless to say I only wish the government would reconsider their position over HIPS and just abolish this needless document which is very costly for the vendor when initially putting their house on the market

Charnock Bates visits the Shay.

17th February 2009

On Tuesday of this week I met the commercial Manager Peter Stajic and the Manager Jim Vince of AFC Halifax Town to further advance our involvement in the community. Not only was I delighted to meet two men with great confidence in the club being top of the league but pleased to see all of the construction work in place to redevelop the main stand for seating, offices and other commercial uses. Stewart Charnock-Bates MRICS