Viewings fallen off, should I change estate agents?

ReadySteadyPop

jimbog said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Martico said:

Net migration already accounts for people leaving. That's what net means.
Who says that demand is down and supply is up? And by how much? And over what period? I can understand a spike in demand before the April tax changes that may be causing a short-term anomaly, and probably also an easing in demand as people come off low fixed rates and do their best to hunker down rather than seek to move, but nothing that moves the dial significantly. 
I can't believe I've returned to engaging with this character, I'll be back on the wagon soon.

If NM has halved that is a lot less demand.

You’re misunderstood this. It means that demand is still increasing 

Why is the OP getting no viewings in that case?

ReadySteadyPop

Herzlos said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Martico said:

Net migration already accounts for people leaving. That's what net means.
Who says that demand is down and supply is up? And by how much? And over what period? I can understand a spike in demand before the April tax changes that may be causing a short-term anomaly, and probably also an easing in demand as people come off low fixed rates and do their best to hunker down rather than seek to move, but nothing that moves the dial significantly. 
I can't believe I've returned to engaging with this character, I'll be back on the wagon soon.

If NM has halved that is a lot less demand.

a lot less *increase* in demand. Population is still going *up*.

The birth rate isn`t going up, the sort of increase you talk about is dependant on the political mood and the legal framework for entry to the country, that isn`t true "demand".

Herzlos

ReadySteadyPop said:

Herzlos said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Martico said:

Net migration already accounts for people leaving. That's what net means.
Who says that demand is down and supply is up? And by how much? And over what period? I can understand a spike in demand before the April tax changes that may be causing a short-term anomaly, and probably also an easing in demand as people come off low fixed rates and do their best to hunker down rather than seek to move, but nothing that moves the dial significantly. 
I can't believe I've returned to engaging with this character, I'll be back on the wagon soon.

If NM has halved that is a lot less demand.

a lot less *increase* in demand. Population is still going *up*.

The birth rate isn`t going up, the sort of increase you talk about is dependant on the political mood and the legal framework for entry to the country, that isn`t true "demand".

Do you ever get bored of being wrong, or wonder what'd happen if you did any research before posting?

Sure the birth rate has been too low to grow the population on it's own since the 1970's, with net migration the population is still growing as can be seen from the actual data:

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/uk-population/

More people, more demand for places to live. Far more than we'll ever manage to build new houses, which is the actual problem. 

Mr.Generous

ReadySteadyPop said:

Herzlos said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Martico said:

Net migration already accounts for people leaving. That's what net means.
Who says that demand is down and supply is up? And by how much? And over what period? I can understand a spike in demand before the April tax changes that may be causing a short-term anomaly, and probably also an easing in demand as people come off low fixed rates and do their best to hunker down rather than seek to move, but nothing that moves the dial significantly. 
I can't believe I've returned to engaging with this character, I'll be back on the wagon soon.

If NM has halved that is a lot less demand.

a lot less *increase* in demand. Population is still going *up*.

The birth rate isn`t going up, the sort of increase you talk about is dependant on the political mood and the legal framework for entry to the country, that isn`t true "demand".

Is it possible to believe this? 

If the increase in population this year was down to birth's how many of the new arrivals do you think would be looking to buy or rent a place? Even if new parents looked for a bigger place they would be leaving a smaller one. Net migration numbers are almost all adults, and they require somewhere to live. Let's just take the Gov's own figure of 212,000 new homes last year. 431.000 net migration. Let's hope they all want to house share. 

No problem letting any of my houses when a vacancy crops up, multiple applications and I get to pick the tenant. 

Some of the applicants were new arrivals to the UK, but they don't count as they weren't true demand??

I'm going to sell an old terrace pretty soon as tenant moving on and the time is right to sell this one - difficult to achieve EPC C and due a full renovation. I'll start a thread when it goes up for sale to see if the very low demand is indicating an impending housing market crash. Presumably whatever price I market it at will be too high, and I will have made a terrible decision investing in a property that has delivered a very good return and more than repaid the original purchase price and renovation costs in rent, while increasing in value by about 150%.

If only I'd listened to Crashy all those years ago.

ReadySteadyPop

Herzlos said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Herzlos said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Martico said:

Net migration already accounts for people leaving. That's what net means.
Who says that demand is down and supply is up? And by how much? And over what period? I can understand a spike in demand before the April tax changes that may be causing a short-term anomaly, and probably also an easing in demand as people come off low fixed rates and do their best to hunker down rather than seek to move, but nothing that moves the dial significantly. 
I can't believe I've returned to engaging with this character, I'll be back on the wagon soon.

If NM has halved that is a lot less demand.

a lot less *increase* in demand. Population is still going *up*.

The birth rate isn`t going up, the sort of increase you talk about is dependant on the political mood and the legal framework for entry to the country, that isn`t true "demand".

Do you ever get bored of being wrong, or wonder what'd happen if you did any research before posting?

Sure the birth rate has been too low to grow the population on it's own since the 1970's, with net migration the population is still growing as can be seen from the actual data:

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/uk-population/

More people, more demand for places to live. Far more than we'll ever manage to build new houses, which is the actual problem. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/money/house-sales-plunge-in-april-as-stamp-duty-deadline-ends-buyer-stampede-b2760626.html

Are you saying that the demand you believe is there is going into rental? All I am seeing is To Rent signs staying up for ages, many many years since I have seen so many To Let signs.

Herzlos

Did you read your own link? Because it's basically saying the stamp duty change caused people to try and rush sales through in March, thus it's down in April. Sales were brought forward. 

It also says this:

"Earlier this month, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the average UK house price increased by 6.4% annually in March as the flurry of activity provided some extra impetus for the housing market."

This:
“However, despite the removal of the stamp duty concession, the market remains remarkably resilient.

And this:
“This month’s interest rate reduction, the fourth since the Bank of England started cutting rates last August, has given buyer and seller confidence a welcome boost.”

All of which seems to contradict your collapse claims. Again. 

With an average of 9 applications per rental, it sounds like there's still a lot more demand than supply:

https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2025/05/nine-applicants-compete-for-each-available-rental-home-propertymark/

But this has nothing to do with the original question, does it?

RavingMad

Have you asked EA why they might think it's not selling and what they think you should do about it

Friends of ours put their house on the market a few months ago. They'd been there 20+ years and must have gone with the EA that valued the house the most. Not one viewing in the first month. Wife's circle of friends that knew the area said it was overpriced amongst other reasons. But everyone was too polite to tell them because why would you?

ReadySteadyPop

Herzlos said:

Did you read your own link? Because it's basically saying the stamp duty change caused people to try and rush sales through in March, thus it's down in April. Sales were brought forward. 

It also says this:

"Earlier this month, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the average UK house price increased by 6.4% annually in March as the flurry of activity provided some extra impetus for the housing market."

This:
“However, despite the removal of the stamp duty concession, the market remains remarkably resilient.

And this:
“This month’s interest rate reduction, the fourth since the Bank of England started cutting rates last August, has given buyer and seller confidence a welcome boost.”

All of which seems to contradict your collapse claims. Again. 

With an average of 9 applications per rental, it sounds like there's still a lot more demand than supply:

https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2025/05/nine-applicants-compete-for-each-available-rental-home-propertymark/

But this has nothing to do with the original question, does it?

The 9 applicants already live somewhere though? Letting agents always say there is a massive demand for their product, it is a basic advertising  tactic.

Slinky

ReadySteadyPop said:

Herzlos said:

Did you read your own link? Because it's basically saying the stamp duty change caused people to try and rush sales through in March, thus it's down in April. Sales were brought forward. 

It also says this:

"Earlier this month, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the average UK house price increased by 6.4% annually in March as the flurry of activity provided some extra impetus for the housing market."

This:
“However, despite the removal of the stamp duty concession, the market remains remarkably resilient.

And this:
“This month’s interest rate reduction, the fourth since the Bank of England started cutting rates last August, has given buyer and seller confidence a welcome boost.”

All of which seems to contradict your collapse claims. Again. 

With an average of 9 applications per rental, it sounds like there's still a lot more demand than supply:

https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2025/05/nine-applicants-compete-for-each-available-rental-home-propertymark/

But this has nothing to do with the original question, does it?

The 9 applicants already live somewhere though? Letting agents always say there is a massive demand for their product, it is a basic advertising  tactic.

I live in a town with a 10,000 population. At the moment there are 7 properties up for  rental.Two 1 bed flats, 1 one 2 bed flat, two 2 bed terraces, a 3 bed terrace and a 3 bed detached. Cheapest £950, most expensive £1800. Not exactly brimming with choices if you want to rent here.

ReadySteadyPop

Slinky said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

Herzlos said:

Did you read your own link? Because it's basically saying the stamp duty change caused people to try and rush sales through in March, thus it's down in April. Sales were brought forward. 

It also says this:

"Earlier this month, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the average UK house price increased by 6.4% annually in March as the flurry of activity provided some extra impetus for the housing market."

This:
“However, despite the removal of the stamp duty concession, the market remains remarkably resilient.

And this:
“This month’s interest rate reduction, the fourth since the Bank of England started cutting rates last August, has given buyer and seller confidence a welcome boost.”

All of which seems to contradict your collapse claims. Again. 

With an average of 9 applications per rental, it sounds like there's still a lot more demand than supply:

https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2025/05/nine-applicants-compete-for-each-available-rental-home-propertymark/

But this has nothing to do with the original question, does it?

The 9 applicants already live somewhere though? Letting agents always say there is a massive demand for their product, it is a basic advertising  tactic.

I live in a town with a 10,000 population. At the moment there are 7 properties up for  rental.Two 1 bed flats, 1 one 2 bed flat, two 2 bed terraces, a 3 bed terrace and a 3 bed detached. Cheapest £950, most expensive £1800. Not exactly brimming with choices if you want to rent here.

How long have they been up for rental?