Tales from the waterfront ...
Written Summer 2011
There is a certain question every Agent hears, of varied wording and presentation, but always inevitable in its meaning.
What is this house likely to be worth in a couple of year’s time? Is this the right time to buy, or indeed sell?
I must admit to knowing my marketplace pretty well. Over 20 years of advising on, and selling, beautiful South Hams homes has firmly placed property in my blood. However, I have still not mastered the art of the crystal ball; much as I would like too I cannot predict the future. I can however read what we see happening here and now .......
I am blessed with living and working within the coastal fringes of this beautiful part of the world. You would think seeing stunning homes, with the very best river and marine views, every day would get tedious ..... early morning sea mists, the smell of the sea air, the gentle “put-put” of a Seagull outboard engine, the Oystercatchers last call as he skims the gentle tidal flow on his way to roost, ducks feet padding over the mud as they sift the estuary waters, the distant shrieks as children spend one last moment with bacon-on-a-string hooking greedy crabs before bedtime.
These magical “seaside” moments that I see every day are the very elements that will inevitably ensure that living by or on the coast will always be desirable, magical. We have a finite resource and an ever increasing population, many of whom seek a different way of life Admittedly, we see some new homes creeping into our shorelines and coastal village communities, but not nearly enough to satisfy the demand from those wanting to buy in to this therapeutic, captivating lifestyle.
I too hear the headlines; the constant gloom and doom forecast by our media. Buyers visiting my office regularly tell me they know prices are falling. Noted, but, we have been riding several crests and troughs of countless waves over the last few years but we are still very much floating!
Despite the pessimistic media predictions, enthusiastic purchasers continue to view coastal homes and make offers on properties they knew would be part of their future. The number of potential buyers seems to be quite low, but most are serious about acquiring a home by the water. Some, however, procrastinate over asking prices, dally a little too long trying to justify extraordinarily low offers and then wonder why they miss out on purchasing the best property they had seen in months, if not years.
Yes, we are selling property. I’m not saying it is happening over-night. Sometimes vendors’ expectations are high and buyers’ ability or confidence needs some gentle nurturing. Motivated and well prepared people are selling and buying beautiful homes. Negotiating the deal and easing it through to exchange of contracts has never been so time-consuming and requires a depth of knowledge and experience lost to many in the heady years of over-night deals, steamy pricing and galling gazumping.
Those days are behind us. Now marketing has moved back to a far more considered skill. Today we put individual, uniquely placed homes to the market at a guide price. We gently explore the market and let buyers consider the elements of the lifestyle. We advise on local facilities, local contractors and the best ways to enhance the house they are thinking of buying. We guide the vendor through the frustrations of waiting; waiting for buyers to feel confident enough to offer, waiting for said vendor to feel comfortable enough to accept (having not set their expectations so high they are never reached); waiting for solicitors to navigate the minefield of enquiries and searches; guiding surveyors through the evidence that justifies the sale price agreed ....... only then do we actually think about relaxing a little.
I can quite honestly say that it is not the “thrill of the kill”, the targets met or the fee payment that makes this job worthwhile. It is the thank-you’s from those that have moved. The beaming smile when we hand over the keys, the kind words both said and written that compliment our team on their dedication to the cause and their sensitive handling of the sometimes stressful situations. I cannot deny a certain satisfaction when a sale exchanges contracts and we can instate the SOLD board outside a property, but, the best buzz comes a few days, weeks, months or years later.... when a satisfied customer invites me to see their new home, to experience the wonderful view they have exploited, to hear their stories of life on the river and the enormous change the move has made to their life.
To be part of this is amazing. Indescribable. Come live the by the coast; experience the lifestyle, let everyday stresses become unexplainably diluted and you’ll know why we are still selling houses and why owning a home by the water will always be one of the best investments a family or individual can ever make.