Did Christmas Come Early - Nova News Editorial December 2015

Is it just me or has Christmas come early this year? May be it is age catching up with me but when the Christmas adverts start in the first week of November it is surely going a bit too far.

There is no doubt as to how good the adverts are for the major supermarkets and brand names, and some of them are always exceptional but £7 million is some money to spend, as one major retailer has done, unless you are a Premier League football club. Hopefully we will not have got fed up with Christmas by the time it arrives as commercialism gets in the way of the real meaning of the festivity.

We will of course have experienced another commercial phenomenon imported from North America, just like Halloween, McDonalds and Starbucks to name but a few, Black Friday, America’s biggest shopping day of the year. How long will it be before the pressures of commercialism are trying to get us to celebrate Thanksgiving, the American and Canadian equivalent of our harvest festival?

Back to reality and although the selling side of the housing market will probably be slowing down, yet your High Street agent will be working just as hard to find you that all important buyer and with the reassurance from the Bank of England that interest rates will remain as they are for the foreseeable future that must be good news for those seeking a mortgage. All parties looking at property at this time of year are sure to be serious potential buyers so even if they have property to sell don’t put off any prospective viewings.

On the lettings side the market never slows down and agents will be having tenants anxious to move in right up to Christmas Eve and probably over the festive season so it will undoubtedly be a busy time for Landlords and their Agents. Whether you be a tenant or owner occupier it is important to remember to leave some form of heating on if you are away for any time as the weather turns cold. This will ensure that there are no problems with freezing pipes and if selling a warm house is much more welcoming than a cold damp home. Don’t let any warm spell of weather lull you in to a false sense of security.

Wishing you all a peaceful and Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year, or am I too early, may be the latter should be for the next issue.

Andrew Mason Independent Valuer 07507 928008
Email andrew.mason1551@gmail.com