Property Advice

Friday 6 January 2017

What does 2017 have in store for the Hampstead Property Market?

Hampstead house prices up or Hampstead house prices down? ... and if so, by how much? Those of you who read the Hampstead Property Blog will know I am not the sort of person who pulls punches nor someone who ever fails to give a forthright and straight talking opinion – so here are my thoughts for the 31,343 Hampstead and Camden homeowners and landlords.

The average Hampstead property is on average 4.2 % higher today than it was a year ago, (Seasonal adjustments taken into account) which doesn’t sound a lot, but when you consider inflation is currently running at 1.02 % and average salary growth is slightly up on last year at 2.9%. This is bad news for first time buyers as property affordability continues to decrease (although I was reading in The Times the other day that wage inflation (ie salary growth) is showing signs of weakening).

Some commentators have said the higher stamp duty taxes introduced last April, concerns over the insufficient house building, the knock on effect of the Brek
xit vote and tighter lending criteria, despite record low interest rates, will really dampen the property market in 2017. I hope you all read my previous article about what the new stamp duty rule changes would REALLY mean for Hampstead landlords in my blog, but I believe the real issue in the Hampstead property market is the shortage of property to buy, as people either worry there will be no suitable house to move to, or cannot afford to upgrade. However, on the supply side, Mr Hammond said in his Autumn Statement that he will change the planning laws to create no less than 11 new Garden Cities to ensure the government meets the pledge made at the General Election (back in May 2015) of 200,000 new homes a year.  All I can say is .. Good luck Phillip with hitting those numbers!

Why? Because houses take years to build .. not months .. So Mr Hammond and his fabled house building aside.... where does that leave us in Hampstead in 2017?
Well, talking of supply ... whilst Mr Osborne builds his properties, let us look at the shortage of properties for sale. Back in December 2010, 1,063 properties were for sale in Hampstead .. Today that figure is 773. On the face of it, this means there is less choice for Hampstead buyers – but it also means with a restricted supply of properties for sale .. it keeps property prices high for Hampstead house sellers.




Everything isn’t all doom and gloom though ... again back in December 2010, the average property in Hampstead took 129 days to find a buyer .. latest figures state this has dropped to 87 days .. a drop of 33% in how long it takes to find a buyer. However, when you delve even deeper, the best performing type of property today in Hampstead is the 2 bed, which only takes 70 days to find a buyer (on average) compared to the 4 bed, which takes 128 days. It just goes to show, even though the average has dropped since 2010, how varied that change has been!




So, back to the question everyone is asking .... What will happen to property values in Hampstead in 2017?  I am going to suggest they will rise between 2.5% and 3% ... nothing out of the ordinary, but unless something cataclysmic happens in the world, 2017 will be like 2016! For more thoughts, opinions and views on the Hampstead property market .. visit the Hampstead Property Blog www.NW3propertyblog.com


If you are looking for an agent with experience that can help you find the right tenant for your property, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of your investment property. Email me on chris@ashmoreresidential.com or give me a call on 020 7435 0420. Pop in for a chat – we are based on Ashmore Residential, Suite 7, 25-27 Heath Street, London, NW3 6TR. The kettle is always on.

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