19 Dec Merry Christmas from Barton Wyatt
Well done everyone, we did it! We got through 2022 with our sanity intact. While 2021 was a year like no other, we were all hoping that we might get some sort of return to normality for 2022; and, as is tradition on this blog, as the end of the year approaches, we’d like to take the opportunity to have a look back at some of the big stories and highlights from this year.
As always, if you’re thinking of moving to this area in the new year, take some time to browse our properties for sale in Virginia Water and the surrounding areas. If you have any questions, you can also visit our award-winning website or call us on 01344 843000 and email us.
2022 – The sales market
We emerged into 2022 with an air of caution, not quite knowing what would be in store for the new year. Leaving behind Stamp Duty holidays and Covid-19 lockdowns, we were soon faced with the first bombshell from energy companies. A huge hike in electricity and gas put many of the population into a cost-of-living crisis while house prices continued to soar across the country.
As people continued to flock from the cities in a bid to find more open spaces and more square footage for their city pound, we took a look at how spring was shaping up to be an excellent time to sell your home with our new step-by-step selling guide; and, how new, flexible working models meant that many households lost bedrooms to makeshift, semi-permanent offices. We also took a look at what impact booking a professional photographer could have on your property sale.
We arrived halfway through the year with competition for properties reaching a feverish climax. Since the pandemic there was a shortage of new houses coming to market to cope with the demand from buyers. This meant that vendors were able to choose their buyers carefully, meaning premium buyers (those who had already sold and had finance in place) were getting the pick of the properties.
In a year that is likely to introduce us into the arms of a recession, 2022 was a time for people to get finance savvy! We brought you some tips on how to make the most of your move as mortgage rates rise, we also took a look at how your home search could be much easier if you already have finance in place. Many people focus on the wrong thing when they look to move house, we shared advice from experts to focus on affordability and not the rates of interest, and while we’re focusing on saving – check out our top tips to save on your energy bills this winter!
2022 – The rental market
We have a huge portfolio of rental properties which we manage for our landlords. So, we made sure that we kept on top of all the rental market news as soon as it was released. We take great care in making sure that our landlords and tenants are kept well-informed, this helps them to make informed decisions about their property choices.
As a landlord it’s important to stay clear on the safety of your property. We looked at the need for regular Legionella testing in rental properties, as well as new legislation around carbon monoxide and smoke alarms. We also put together our top tips for becoming a greener landlord, in a time when energy costs are rising, it’s more important than ever to stay energy efficient. Every year brings new legislation for landlords to take notice of, this year was no different with the Renters Reform Bill coming in; you can find out more in our blog.
2022 – At Barton Wyatt
Considering we were expecting to be in for a tough year, during the summer we were instrumental in selling two of the most expensive new homes on the Wentworth estate this year.
We enjoyed the BMW championships once more, bringing many more people to the area and lots of home viewings with it. The good news is that BMW have confirmed the renewal of their partnership with the DP World tour for another 5 seasons which should see Wentworth hosting the most prestigious European Golf tournament until at least 2027.
It has been a fun year, with numerous celebrations around the 100th anniversary of the Wentworth Estate being formed. Roll on 2023, with many more sales and lettings to come on the Wentworth Estate and surrounding areas.
Festive opening times
Our Christmas period opening hours are:
Christmas Eve: Closed
Christmas Day: Closed
Boxing Day: Closed
Tuesday 27th Dec: Closed (Bank holiday)
Wednesday 28th Dec: 10am-2pm
Thursday 29th Dec: 10am-2pm
Friday 30th Dec: 10am-2pm
Saturday 31st Dec: Closed
Sunday 1st January: Closed
Monday 2nd January: Closed
Tuesday 3rd January: We are Open and ready for 2023!
Get in Touch
If you are thinking of moving to the area or buying a property to rent, make sure you take a look at our amazing catalogue of properties for sale in Virginia Water and the surrounding areas.
If you’d like to speak to someone about properties to let in Virginia Water, a member of our expert team would be happy to help. You can call us on 01344 843000 or email us. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.