Since the property market reopened on the 29th June 2020, the market in Angus has been exceptionally busy. 

At Thorntons, we have seen a significant rise in demand for rural properties. This has undoubtedly been a result of the pandemic, with many people now reviewing their current lifestyles and turning towards smaller towns and villages.

Homeowners are prioritising external space and looking to take advantage of the outdoors, with the upheaval of the pandemic resulting in a renewed appreciation of nature. In addition, the shift to home working has resulted in many people looking for larger properties in order to accommodate office space.

Relocating to rural locations can be very cost effective and many city-dwellers are now realising the benefits of doing so, especially considering that they are less likely to have to travel into offices on a daily basis. The improved travel links from Angus to Dundee and Aberdeen have made it possible for those who have to commute to work to relocate outside of the cities.

In Angus, detached cottages, bungalows and family homes with land are proving to be very much in demand, with many now achieving a high percentage above the home report. Homes which previously would have taken longer to sell are now being snapped up, with closing dates being set due to the number of buyers interested in offering for the property.

We have seen a significant increase in the number of people registering on our Angus buyers’ mailing list, a sure sign of high demand in the area. Recent months have seen an increase in buyers moving to Angus from England and the rest of the UK – another indicator that the pandemic has had a lasting impact on homeowners and the changing lifestyle aspirations of many families.

Viewing numbers have also increased significantly, leading to homes selling faster than they have done for many years. All of this is great news for sellers, with the average price in Angus going up by approximately 7% (Registers of Scotland) over the last 12 months.

In a market like this where properties are selling fast, and with many going in excess of the home report, it’s vital that buyers get the right advice and are in a position to know how much they can afford to offer for the property.

In order for you to make your offer more attractive to the seller, it’s important that you have your mortgage finance in place and have the appropriate deposit. This is where many offers fall down, so you must do your homework and have as much money in place as possible before your solicitor submits an offer. This will put you in a stronger position to successfully bid on the property that you want.

For these reasons and many others, getting the correct advice for your situation, whatever your priorities, is extremely important.  Make sure that you work with an experienced firm that can assist you through the buying and selling process and can offer advice on how much to offer for a property. They should ensure that you are regularly updated, informed and supported all the way through the property transaction.

Peter Ryder

Managing Director

Thorntons Property