Stevens Blog

Doom and gloom in the British property market or clickbait doom-mongers? Newspapers and clickbait 24-7 news websites, desperate for clicks, are peddling a story of a doomsday time for the economy, particularly the property market, as interest rates and inflation create the perfect storm for the UK property market. So, let us look at what […]

What will the stamp duty cuts & interest rate rises mean for Ashford homeowners & landlords?   Last week the Bank of England increased interest rates to 2.25% and they are expected to be 3.25% by early next year. This increase will make the monthly mortgage payments more expensive for first-time buyers, an issue dubbed

– these are the reasons they are not.   Looking at the newspapers with their doom and gloom headlines, you would think that the Ashford property market (and the British property market) would be on its knees. Yet ring some Ashford estate agents for a viewing or free valuation, and if you can get an

Ashford OAP retirees have to make tough choices with the onset of the cost-of-living crisis.   Growing inflation, unpredictable financial markets and the high cost of living mean many former retired Ashford people are returning to work in what has been dubbed the ‘great unretirement’. Some are even bringing forward their downsizing house move.  

As gas and electric bills rocket for Ashford tenants, Ashford landlords who do not start to make energy efficiency upgrades face lengthy void periods and will have to discount their rents. This is irrespective of the Government’s plans to change the rules on renting properties with low Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings. Until six months

With the cost-of-living crisis beginning to hit, the 20 and 30-somethings of Ashford urgently need the help and support of the Government to help them get on the property ladder. For the last few weeks, we have listened to the debates and hustings of Liz and Rishi. Between them, they have told us how they

“An apartment is over £100 grand and a flat under £100k”, said my friend. Joking aside, there is no difference, call it what you will, the humble apartment/flat has served Ashford well over the years. The average sale price of an apartment in Ashford in 2021 was £182,730, making it an excellent first-time buyer purchase

The predicament of the Ashford 20 to 30 year olds who rent and their inability to get onto the housing ladder is often discussed in the press. There are 4.43m properties in the UK that are still in the private rented sector (compared to 2.13m in 2002). This group of people in their 20s and

Ashford property prices have increased by 23.4% over the last two years. Ashford house prices have risen on the back of several things, including changes in how people see their homes and how they live and work (i.e., working from home), a lack of properties on the market and government tax incentives (the stamp duty

Inflation (and recessions) can be nerve racking for people and their hard-earned savings and wealth. Yet there are six reasons which make investing in private rental properties a potentially wise investment in these changeable times. This article looks at how investing in Ashford property could help you ‘hedge’ against inflation and protect your savings and