Christies Estate Agents joins new property website OnTheMarket.com

Christies are proud to announce we are featuring all of our properties at OnTheMarket.com, a new property website which launches on Monday, January 26th 2015 as a direct competitor to Rightmove and Zoopla.

OnTheMarket.com is a mutual organisation focused on providing an outstanding service for property searchers, estate and letting agents, vendors and landlords. The venture already has the support of more than 4,600 estate and lettings agency branches nationwide, including those of leading national, regional and local firms. OnTheMarket.com is expecting many more to join in the coming weeks after they have seen the website.

Estate and letting agents who have joined have moved hundreds of thousands of properties to OnTheMarket.com from other websites to create a unique set of listings which cannot be found elsewhere. In addition, many are choosing to launch their properties exclusively there first, at least 48 hours in advance of the other portals.

Neither Rightmove nor Zoopla can now claim their property listings cover the entire market because many estate and letting agents have left them to join OnTheMarket.com as the best platform to showcase their properties in the clearest and simplest way.

The property search at OnTheMarket.com is slick, simple, fast and state-of-the-art, compatible with the latest technologies. The website adapts seamlessly to fit the screen of any device being used to view it. There is no clutter from irritating and distracting third party adverts, nor any spam email.

Every property at OnTheMarket.com is marketed by a locally-based estate or letting agent because OnTheMarket.com knows the majority of the public recognises the benefits of having a local professional in place who can manage the sales or lettings process on their behalf. Also, there is no substitute for their detailed knowledge of a property, the local area, the current market conditions and the vendor’s/landlord's personal circumstances. OnTheMarket.com does not feature properties marketed by online-only agents.

We believe OnTheMarket.com will rapidly grow to become a major player in the portal market because it will provide a clean, crisp and simple search function and a highly effective platform for our vendor and landlord clients and be a great place to launch new properties onto the market.”

Ian Springett, Chief Executive of OnTheMarket.com, said: “We are delighted Christies has committed to OnTheMarket.com and we look forward to matching motivated buyers and tenants with all the properties our member agents are marketing for their clients in and around Cheam, Sutton, Carshalton Beeches, Banstead, Epsom, Ewell, Stoneleigh, Worcester Park and all the other area covered by Christies” Please visit www.OnTheMarket.com now to register.

Please contact us on 020 8643 7777 or email at sales@christiesworld.com

www.christiesworld.com

Christies Estate Agents join leading UK auctioneers Network Auctions

Long established estate agents, Christies based in Cheam, have joined forces with leading UK auctioneers Network Auctions to offer regular auction sales under the branding Christies Network Auctions.

Founded in 1938, Christies provide a comprehensive range of estate agency services and by joining forces with Network Auctions are now able to offer clients a market leading auctioneering service with the benefits of local expertise and national coverage.

Christies Network Auctions have six auction sales planned in 2015 from their central London auction room which, in conjunction with local marketing, provides sellers with access to the largest market possible.

Network Auctions enjoyed a superb year at the rostrum in 2014 with sales of 281 lots raising £24.75m going under auctioneer Guy Charrison’s gavel at their six London auctions.

In addition, there were a further 47 lots, raising £4.61m were sold at their four auctions held in Birmingham in conjunction with Pennycuick Collins during the year.

Jeremy Richardson, Director of Christies said: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Network Auctions and look forward to providing a comprehensive auction service to clients across Surrey and South London.

With a national network of like-minded partner agents and a London auction room, clients can be assured of maximum exposure and the best opportunities for a sale on any lot they enter into our auctions. In addition Christies membership of the Mayfair Office provides clients with access to a UK network of 300 plus offices and a global network outside the UK of another 200 associates.

The experience and local knowledge of Christies combined with the wide coverage and auctioneering expertise of Network Auctions is undoubtedly a winning combination.”

Network Auctions auctioneers Guy Charrison and Richard Worrall are highly respected practitioners and the huge databases of investors and other buyers that Network Auctions have at their disposal greatly increases the chances of a successful sale.

Toby Limbrick, Managing Director of Network Auctions added: “Christies are a fantastic addition to our network and their expertise and knowledge of both the Surrey and South London marketplace and global reach through the Mayfair Office is a great asset to our ever growing rank of partner agents.

We very much look forward to including more lots from the Surrey and South London area in our forthcoming auctions.”

The next auction is on 3rd March at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane and lots are being taken for inclusion now.

If you are thinking of disposing of a property by auction, Jeremy Richardson can be contacted on 020 8643 7777 or by email at sales@christiesworld.com

www.christiesworld.com

Market Review - January Update - Christies House Price Index - Local property prices increased at least 16% last year

The latest Christies House Price Index, uses the most up to date reliable data from the Land Registry, and also confirms that property in the local area continues to represent an outstanding investment.

Local property prices increased by at least 16% in 2014. Medium and long term gains are even more exceptional. Based on past performance potential buyers will be very encouraged to see that prices have risen by 38% over the previous five years, by slightly more over the previous ten years and by an astonishing 160% over the previous 15 years.

What is perhaps even more impressive is that prices are now also 16% higher than at the previous peak of the market in early 2008.

The comparison is based on the average price of all local properties sold including flats, maisonettes, all types of houses and bungalows. Figures for December onwards are not yet available - the Index will be revised as soon as the data is released so please check this page regularly for any updates.

Date..............Average Price.........Average Price Nov 2014.......YEARS............INCREASE

Nov-99..............£121,090.........................£314,691.....................15....................160%

Nov-04..............£227,122.........................£314,691.....................10.....................39%

Nov-09..............£228,573.........................£314,691......................5......................38%

Over the years, and particularly in recent times, demand for properties in Cheam, Sutton, Carshalton, Worcester Park, Ewell, Epsom, Banstead, Chipstead, Kingswood, Tadworth and surrounding towns and villages has increased dramatically. Much of this demand is due to the location of the properties we sell, which are ideally situated on the fringes of London, bordering rural Surrey greenbelt countryside with picture postcard villages and market towns full of rich heritage and character.

Buyers flood into the area to take advantage of a wide range of leisure and shopping amenities. The local schools are nationally renowned and attract large numbers of enquiries, ensuring that property sale levels and prices have remained well above quoted national averages.Cheam, Sutton, Carshalton, Worcester Park, Ewell, Epsom, Banstead, Chipstead, Kingswood and Tadworth all enjoy flourishing local communities with many popular cafés, restaurants and varied independent shops and businesses; this, coupled with many high street names, creates an enviable mix of retail and food outlets.

Combined with excellent road and rail links, demand for property remains constant and represents an exceptional investment. Christies have an unparalleled understanding of the area and are dedicated to ensuring customers are always informed – not just on the property market and prices, but also the area and amenities. When looking at buying a new home, we believe it is imperative that our purchasers are fully informed about all aspects of the potential move.

Your estate agent should be able to answer any of your questions regarding this. We are proud to represent this area and convey that passion to anyone looking to move here.

Please contact us on 020 8643 7777 or email at sales@christiesworld.com

www.christiesworld.com

2015 - Off To A Great Start

Nick Churton from our Mayfair Group global networkhits the ground running in 2015 and looks forward to an active property market throughout the year ahead – only punctuated by one rather important event in May.

In housing market terms 2015 could be a contradictory year. In some ways the market is looking healthier than it has for years with more first time buyers than at any time since 2007. 

Early post-New Year signs are of sustained activity. These factors are clearly a reflection of increased confidence in the economy and higher employment across the UK.

This is very good news. The only cloud on the horizon might be the general election in May. If we thought the Scottish referendum – which for a time had a negative effect on market activity in England and Wales as well as Scotland - was a difficult one to call, the 2015 general election will surely prove to be impossible to forecast. And it is just this sort of uncertainty that markets don’t like. So we may see a slight cooling off in activity levels and transactions the nearer we get to May. But we think that buyers and sellers will want to make a head start on the market and try and make some hard decisions early in the New Year. Certainly these are the clear signs now.

Towards the upper end of the market there will be many with strong and very valid concerns about the introduction of a mansion tax – on top of the added stamp duty for this price sector imposed by the chancellor in his autumn statement. For those selling in and around the £2 million mark the market will be highly sensitive and pricing below this point may be advisable if a quick sale is required. We are not suggesting selling low: simply that sellers should accept that the next few months might not be the perfect time for optimistic or inflated asking prices for properties in a mansion tax entry level bracket.

But for some this will be a period of great opportunity in the property market. Once again, we would urge buyers not to rely on the property portals too heavily. The portals deal in hard data and certainties. Use them as a guide by all means. But the best opportunities often come from uncertainties. To find out about property off-market or for help in discovering that special place or great deal through hard-won local experience then there is nothing better that a good, reputable and knowledgeable high street estate agent like our firm. Come rain, shine or general election Christies will be ready with great ideas and sound advice.

Please contact us on 020 8643 7777 or email at sales@christiesworld.com

www.christiesworld.com