Housing market on the up as economy settles

House sales are picking up as the economy settles – and ORJ’s experienced residential conveyancing team is helping families across Staffordshire, Shropshire and further afield move with as little stress as possible, writes Head of Residential Property Jade Orr.

Rightmove said estate agents across the country reported a significant increase in buyer demand in March as more people were “seeing a window of opportunity to buy”.

According to the UK’s biggest property website, sales were around 13% higher than at the same time last year – and demand for larger homes appear to be particularly strong.

This comes as no surprise to me as our conveyancing team has certainly seen an uptick in instructions in recent weeks. In fact, our private work increased by around 5% between January and April in comparison to the same period last year.

There are some clear reasons for this but it all comes down to a sense of predictability in the economy. After a chaotic 2023, inflation is falling and mortgage rates have steadied.

Mortgage rates remain high and are an ongoing challenge – but they are at least stable. People who take out a new mortgage know where they are – and the mortgage market is highly competitive.

In fact, Yorkshire Building Society and Accord have launched a new mortgage product available for first-time buyers on previously owned properties, with just a £5,000 deposit available up to £500,000. Stamp Duty is still acting favourably for first time buyers, too.

How can ORJ help?

Moving home can be a very stressful and emotional process to experience.  Our homes are our sanctuary and can hold memories which we treasure. 

People make the decision to move home for a variety of reasons, whether it is to relocate for the purposes of a new job or to downsize to make life a little easier in our later years. 

Moving home can cause anxiety and stress as well as excitement. ORJ understands that everyone’s situation and reason for moving is different. Our expert solicitors and assistants are all experienced in residential conveyancing and are able to empathise with our clients and their own particular situations. 

We like to offer a friendly and approachable service that is fast and efficient with our fees being fair and reasonable. We aim to guide our clients through the process of selling and buying using language that is easy to understand. 

Conveyancing has recently been an unsteady market but as we move into the spring of 2024, more people are now wanting to place their properties on the market and our conveyancers are here to offer legal advice and support to those who are wanting to either buy their first home, downsize or simply move house.

At ORJ our clients have direct access to their conveyancer through email or by phone and our staff are more than happy to see clients in person, in the office or at the client’s home. 

ORJ Law is a well-established law firm with offices in Stafford, Telford and Shrewsbury, providing legal advice to a wide range of clients. 

We regularly deal with properties in our local areas as well as properties all over the country. 

No matter if your property is on the coast, in the city or set in a countryside location, our conveyancers will have the knowledge and experience to effectively deal with any conveyancing transaction.

If you would like to discuss our services or obtain a no obligation quote, then please do not hesitate to contact us on either 01785 223440 or by email to team@orj.co.uk and we will be happy to assist.