Bathgate Property Market Holding Up Despite Doom and Gloom in the Newspapers

Of the 43 Bathgate properties that have sold (stc) since late September, the average length of time it took to achieve a sale

was 19 days.

 

Interesting when you split it down by price, in Bathgate:

 

£0k to £200k – 15 days

£200k to £300k – 31 days

£300k to £400k – 19 days

£400k and above –  no properties sold in this price range

 

And by type:

 

• Bathgate Apartment/Flat – 13 days
• Bathgate Terraced/Townhouse – 21 days
• Bathgate Semi-Detached – 47 days
• Bathgate Detached – 11 days

 

The latest sold price data from the Land Registry shows that Bathgate house prices currently remain 14.2% higher than they were 12 months ago; the rate of growth has dropped significantly.

 

Last month, Bathgate house prices only rose by 0.3%; thus we are seeing the first sign that the property market is starting to cool.

 

With interest rates at 3.5% and further increases likely in 2023, that will undoubtedly spur ongoing cooling in Bathgate property values yet it’s doubtful we will see the Bathgate property market go into the deep freeze that many doom-mongers were predicting.

 

As I said in recent articles on the Bathgate property market, we will see a 5% to 10% reduction in Bathgate house prices over the next 12 to 18 months.

 

That will only take us back to the prices achieved in mid/late 2021 or early 2022 (depending on the property type).

 

Landlords have experienced double-digit rent growth in the last 12/18 months with a shortage of rental properties coming onto the market. I cannot see this changing in the short term, so I expect rents to be a further 10% higher by Christmas 2023.

 

Recently I stated it is not always wise to only focus on house prices but also take reference from the number of property transactions completed that feed the fire of the British property market.

 

For example, in March 2021, 135,670 properties sold, yet a month later, it dropped to 87,600. A couple of months later, it rose again in June 2021 to 165,290 homes sold (for it to drop to 64,000 in July).

 

Whilst this is good news for estate agents and removals companies, it can skew the property market and put undue pressure on the property market (pressure which could cause a housing crash if not put under check).

 

Like most things - slow, steady and consistent is the preferred option for the property market.    Throughout 2022, the number of properties selling in the UK has been a steady average of 68,832 per month, ranging from a low of 61,800 in January 2022 to 72,200 in July 2022.

 

This consistency will continue into 2023 and a return to a more 'normal' housing market.

 

One final thing I have noticed about the Bathgate property market in the last six months is the number of larger properties coming onto the market that last sold over 25 years ago.

 

Homeowners in their 20s, 30s and early 40s tend to move every five or six years, yet when they reach their late 40s and 50s, they tend to stay put for longer. These properties only tend to come on the market when people pass away or must be sold for nursing home fees.

 

These mature homeowners are downsizing for several reasons. Their children have flown the nest and they’re rattling around in homes with accommodation they don’t need. Many are being driven to sell their large homes in light of mounting energy bills, high inflation and never-ending maintenance costs that larger properties demand.

 

The second reason is that the recent rises in Bathgate house prices has meant the money released to downsize has grown, meaning if these mature homeowners sell up and cash in to more manageable properties, the amount of money released is quite impressive.

 

In conclusion, 2023 is going to be a more 'normal' year, akin to the 2016 to 2019 years. Bathgate homeowners need to be realistic with their pricing, yet as over eight out of ten sellers buy another home, the one you buy will be lower.

 

If you are considering selling your Bathgate home in 2023 and would like a chat about your options, feel free to drop me a line or call the office.