The summer may be coming to an end but our local property market is certainly still HOT!
We have seen the highest summer sales in 8 years and, interestingly enough, more than 50% of our sales have been local – that is people selling and re-buying within the Todmorden and Hebden Bridge areas.
It will be interesting to compare our successes with the National market although there have already been reports that the market in London and the South East has cooled somewhat. Guess that had to happen.
What is shocking are the amount of Air B & B properties now available in our area. Whilst it is great to share a room and offer a homely bed and breakfast service we need to heed the lessons of tourist hotspots such as Venice, Barcelona and Lisbon. It may seem farfetched, problems along the Rochdale Canal are not often compared to the Grand Canal of Venice but the fate of local people has similarities.
If a community loses it’s ability to house local people then it become a dormitory town. The local spirit is soon lost, youngsters can’t find housing, investors snap up the property, local people are forced out. Then who works in the cafes, bars and restaurants ? Who is left to service the local community. I was shocked when visiting Cornwall earlier in the year by the amount of Staff Wanted signs everywhere. Many picturesque Cornish villages have lost local residents and really struggle to find staff.
Having said that we don’t want to turn anyone away, we want to continue welcoming commuters and city exiles. Let’s just hope someone sees sense to build some new affordable homes sometime soon.
Tel: 01422 842007
Email: enquiries@clairesheehan-estateagents.co.uk