Part four in our buy-to-let advice blogs focuses on ‘when’ is the best time to purchase your investment property.

The brief answer here: now. Both the national, and local markets have consistently seen upward trends, with some years seeing quicker growth than others. Recent times highlight this well, with prices increasing in line with a range of Government schemes, effective Stamp Duty cuts, and the demand for moving home during the pandemic.

Although prices do fluctuate, this ebb and flow is usually within a small percentage, depending on short-term market pressures. For a longer-term investment over a 10+ year period, the equity increase will generally plot in a progressive and beneficial trajectory.

That being said, the time of year is an important factor when deciding when to buy. During the winter months, you tend to see a higher rate of empty homes, meaning that the urgency to sell is greater. There may be the opportunity to present a slightly lower offer, however, you’ll need to take into account potentially higher costs of upkeep, or redecoration.

We see busier market activity during the period before school places need to be secured. Families want to be settled in time for the new school year, often moving to be within catchment areas of popular schools.

If looking at new build homes in particular, it’s more than worthwhile to keep an eye on the progress of developments in the areas that you’re interested in, either with the developer themselves, or the selling agent. As can be the case, a new build may be delayed due to the various checks and regulations involved, so be prepared for hold ups on the way.

For all our currently available properties, or to be notified on what’s coming soon, contact us on 01525 40 22 66 or email ampthill@orchards.co.uk.