Sale estate agents back in business as home owners eye property prices

H ome owners in Sale are watching the property market closely as estate agents start opening up for business again.

Buyers and sellers are waiting to see the effect on prices caused by the economic downturn of Covid-19.

Sale has a thriving rental and sales market thanks mainly to its location, schools and transport links but the property market has been effectively shut down since late March.

Several estate agents on School Road are expected to reopen imminently following last night’s government announcement that they can reopen.

Craven & Company, which has 300 rental properties locally, is already open for business while adhering to social distancing and new government guidelines on viewings.

Finance Manager Dave Law said: “We’ve been carrying out any emergency repairs needed by our tenants during the lockdown period so people haven’t been left in crisis. Particular attention has been paid to tenants’ financial positions during these testing times.

“The sales market became stagnant once we were told to shut on March 23 and that income stream has totally dried up. No conveyancers or surveyors were permitted to work and pending sales were put on hold.  However, the phones have been very busy this morning with people looking at rentals and sales.

“I don’t think we’ll see a fall in house prices, more of a levelling off. With our new sales team now in place we’re hoping to see a surge in property sales as it looks like it’ll be a summer spent at home.”

The government have advised agents to do viewings on line where possible but surveyors are allowed to visit properties to do mortgage valuations and building surveys for prospective buyers.

Owners will be asked to leave the house or stand in the garden while viewings take place and prospective buyers asked to avoid touching surfaces.