Property boom on the cards for Harrogate this spring

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Property consultant Alex Goldstein says the district is set for an exciting six months as people are looking to escape city life and buy homes in more rural areas.

He told the Harrogate Advertiser: “This is the start of the wave and we are embarking on some very exciting times for Harrogate and Yorkshire in general.

“The third lockdown has given an instant boost to the market in our area and although it has been a tough time in many ways, it has been very positive in terms of property.

“This time has forced buyers and sellers to re-evaluate what they want and that is great news for homes on the market in Harrogate.”

Alex, who works in bespoke buying and selling in both Harrogate and London, says his phone has already been ringing off the hook with enquiries about properties in the district.

Many of his clients have been working from home throughout the pandemic and now have new priorities, moving away from the morning commute and focusing more on family life and access to open spaces.

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“I’ve got people wanting to relocate from London and even people internationally who moved away and have now realised how much they want to come back,” Alex said.

“People have realised how important other aspects of their lives are now they have been able to take a step back.

“And the great thing about Harrogate and the surrounding areas is that people have lots of options - there are so many amazing, spacious properties so those working from home would be able to have their own office, but we’re still very connected here and have great transport links, so people who do need to travel around for work will find it really easy.”

Alex says the access to lots of great schools, green spaces and close proximity to bigger cities like Leeds and York are the biggest selling points for the district, allowing people to have the best of both worlds and the ability to have the perfect work-life balance.

Yorkshire is also predicted to be one of the best performing regions in the UK property market in the next five years, giving Harrogate another big boost moving forwards.

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Alex added: “As well as a far-reaching, global appeal, the local market is really strong too.

“Lots of buyers are really keen to find the right home right now which means it is the perfect time to put your property on the market if you are looking to move - and there should be lots of options for places to move to.

“If you’re thinking about taking the plunge, strike while the iron is hot, because there are some really great things happening at the moment.”

With speed and convenience at the top of everyone’s agenda right now after a difficult year, Alex says it is more important than ever to get yourself into the best possible position if you are looking to purchase a property.

He added: “If you are looking to buy, reliability and security are the most important factors and often outweigh the monetary offer.

“If you can go without a chain and with a cash offer wherever possible, that will make a huge difference, as will making sure you get a specialist solicitor.

“And whether you are buying or selling, the mortage market is constantly changing, so using a mortgage broker will get you the best results and the best terms for you and your family.”

A leading Harrogate estate agent has also said the extension of the stamp duty holiday and the Government’s promise of a mortgage guarantee for those with a 5% deposit has given a huge boost to the district’s property market.

Andrew Beadnall, Director at Beadnall Copley, has praised the announcements which were made in this year’s Budget and says they can only mean good things for those wishing to buy or sell their homes.

He is predicting a property boom this spring, with many new houses expected to come onto the market in the coming months, and says the best way to get ahead is to beat the competition.

“With the rollout of the various vaccines in full swing and announcement by the Bank of England that they are expecting a strong bounce back in the economy in spring ,there are definite reasons to be cheerful from a housing market point of view,” Andrew said.

“The return of a genuine booming and blooming spring market is very much on the cards.

“Expectation is that there will be an influx of new properties to the market with lots of potential sellers having held off from marketing their properties due to the current lockdown.

“Our advice is very much that if you are considering selling then beat the competition and start the process of getting your property ready to go on the market now.”

Experts say demand in the area is already pent up and Beadnall Copley currently has 1,800 buyers registered, which equates to 27 buyers per property.

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The first national lockdown last year was followed by a property boom and estate agents are predicting the trend to continue.