Example by Maddie age 6, from Claygate.

Want to be in with a chance of winning a brand new Nintendo Switch? All that you have to do is draw us a picture of your dream home. Now this could be a home in outer space, this could be a medieval castle, this could even be a Minecraft house!

Once you’ve drawn your picture get your parent or guardian to like or follow us on Facebook or Instagram, and they can either take a picture of your picture and email it in to us, or alternatively they can drop it into one of our branches in East Molesey or Claygate.

Entries will be displayed on our screens in branch and 5 finalists will be posted to social media, the finalist with the most likes will be announced as the winner and will receive a brand new nintendo switch console!

RULES FOR ENTERING THIS COMPETITION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. This competition is for children aged 11 and under.
2. Entry is only available to local residents of; Claygate, Esher, Thames Ditton, Hinchley Wood, East Molesey and West Molesey. (Your postcode must start with KT8, KT7 or KT10 and winners will be asked to provide proof of address from their parent or guardian)
3. The parent or guardian must like or follow our Newton Huxley Facebook or Instagram pages for your entry to be counted.
4. Only entries received by the 16th March 2021 will be entered
5. All entries will be displayed on screens at out offices so please make sure you put your name and age so we can add it to your picture.
6. Entries can be made by either emailing to len@newtonhuxley.co.uk or dropped directly to our offices at either 15 The Parade, Claygate, Surrey, KT10 0PD or 33 Bridge Road, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9ER – dropping directly will alow us to scan your picture and will look best!
7. Finalists will be selected and their pictures will be uploaded to Facebook and Instagram, the picture that receives the most collective likes by the 31st March will be announced the winner and invited to collect their Brand New Nintendo Switch from our offices.

We would prefer that you drop entries into one of our offices so that we can scan and upload the image clearly, but you can also submit you entry by email to len@newtonhuxley.co.uk

For many homeowners waiting for the right time to move, it has been a difficult decision to make for the past few years. The property market in the UK has been subject to an onslaught of market slowing events with what feels like endless elections, the EU referendum, changes to stamp duty land tax, and then this year to top it all off, the world was pretty much shut down by a coronavirus pandemic from COVID-19.

As soon as the property market was put on pause, the headlines wrote themselves, and the media reported that the property market apocalypse was approaching… but it never arrived.

Then, as the property market opened again, we were warned about how tough it was going to be to sell our properties, so was this prediction right?

Let’s take a look at what the data tells us…

The below graph is taken from Rightmove data for the KT7, KT8 and KT10 postcodes which covers Thames Ditton, East and West Molesey, Hinchley Wood, Claygate and Esher (where Newton Huxley sell the most properties).

The local property market was showing very positive signs at the beginning of the year throughout January and into February, with the number of New Listings and Sales Agreed at healthy levels as you would expect to see. Then things began to turn in March as COVID-19 became the focus of everyone’s attention, and finally in April the market stopped almost entirely as viewings and mortgage applications were no longer possible.

In May, we can see the tide beginning to turn with urgent moves progressing and then in June we can finally begin to see what the property market looks like post lockdown… and so far it looks very good!

New property listings are quickly returning to pre-covid levels and as these properties attract the wave of new buyers from Central and South West London, we expect the number of sales agreed to catch up in July.

Our own internal data also shows positive signs for the local property market, with the number of offers received in June being at its highest level since October 2017.

This next graph shows the number of new buyers registering (people calling to ask us to help with their search for a property,) viewings booked, and the number of individual offers received on our listed properties.

Whilst it is too early to know for sure what the long-term impacts of COVID-19 will be on the property market, property transactions in the South East have been stunted since Stamp Duty Land Tax was changed in 2016 (by as much as 30% in our local area), and a bottleneck of buyers waiting for the right time to make their move has been building ever since.

Now interest rates are lower than ever before, and we’ve experienced a genuine public health issue that has had an impact on every single person one way or another. For many this has put things into perspective, and has served as a catalyst to further increase buyer migration out of Central and South West London, with some 51% of buyers that already live in the capital looking to move out.

With so many properties coming to market right now, and with lenders tightening criteria for mortgages, it is unlikely your property value will be shooting up any time soon. Many market reports are suggesting a 0% change in property values this year, and a modest 2% next year. So, if you have been waiting for the right time to move over the last few years like so many others in the KT7, KT8 and KT10 postcode areas, now is the closest you are going to get to the perfect time to finally get moving!

CLICK HERE To book a free valuation and market appraisal with one of the partner directors at Newton Huxley

If I had £1 for everytime someone asked me "what is the property market like at the moment?" I could pay off the mortgage for every friend and family member in the contact list on my phone!

The nature of the private housing market in Britain means that it is always changing and evolving, and the value of your property can change from month to month, and so called uncertainty surrounding UK politics has left many people unsure as to how this has affected the value of their home.

With the Pound (£) offering very good value for money against the Euro and US dollar, foreign purchases in Central London are reportedly on the up again, and as Molesey was more or less built for commuters, this has a knock on affect  within our local market as many buyers who move to Molesey, do so after selling a property in London in search of more square footage, garden space and good schools whilst retaining the ability to get to work in London with relative ease.

So what does the property market look like now compared to this time last year? 2018 was our busiest year yet at Newton Huxley, and here is why we are confident that 2019 will be the same, if not better.

Now this does not mean that asking prices are down by nearly 20%! We have noticed more properties coming to market below the £500k threshold which shows more confidence from those looking to upsize from their first purchase. We also published an article last year explaining that over inflated asking prices were causing a slow down in the market (as commented on by The Times in their recent article about overvaluing) and that the eventual sale prices of properties had remained more or less the same, this shows that home sellers are adjusting their asking prices to be more in line with buyer expectations which will increase movement.

The number of new properties coming to market has been in decline for the past 2-3 years. In terms of real numbers, the difference is 73 new properties in 2018 vs 65 in 2019 and although this will help speed up a potential buyers decision making with slightly less choice to consider, we do not see this having any significant affect on pricing at this level.

This is ultimately a result of the above two market factors, with less choice and more affordable properties on offer, activity will naturally increase. We have also noticed increased interest in properties that have previously been struggling to achieve a sale, showing further increased movement within Central and SW London is having a positive impact.

For practical purposes there is no real change here, this does however mean that a higher percentage of buyers that are out viewing, are making offers. It is more important than ever to ensure that the number of feet through the door from potential buyers remains high as this will dramatically increase your chances of securing a buyer and will help create a sense of urgency that will help you achieve the best possible price. In essence you should price your property to entice viewings and leverage negotiation against other interest as opposed to just stating what you want for your property as a seller, as this carries a lot more weight!

If you are thinking of selling and would like an idea on the current value of your home, you can use our FREE instant valuation tool below for an instant estimation. Additionally, if you have been on the market without success and would like to discuss other available strategies for selling your property, please call our Molesey team on 0208 396 6717 or email molesey@newtonhuxley.co.uk

GET AN INSTANT PROPERTY VALUATION FOR FREE!

If you're a homeowner in Molesey, you'll be interested in the current value of your home. If you're looking to up or down size, and plan to stay local, you'll be interested in the current value of property on some of your favourite streets!

The list below shows the increase in value over the last 5 years, as well as the number of transactions over the last 12 months to give you an idea of how often property becomes available to buy in any given road.

If you would like an instant valuation of your own home, this handy instant valuation tool is completely free and will give you an immediate indication as to your properties current value

As a whole, property values in Molesey have increased by £160,549.76 on average in the last 5 years, with the current average proeprty value in the area at £630,572.09.

If you are considering moving on to the next chapter of your life and would like to book a free market appraisal of your home, please click the link below, alternatively you can obtain a quick online valuation here.

We caught up with the new owners who took over the cafe in March, they are extremely welcoming and have quickly become huge fans of the Molesey community.

What type of food can visitors to the Courtyard Cafe expect to be treated with?

We serve many kinds of cakes, such as Victoria sandwich, Apple pie with ice cream on top, Non gluten Carrot cake, Non gluten brownie, Forest fruit cake, homemade fruitloaf and many others, we bake our croissants and pain au chocolate daily, we have freshly made sandwiches, paninis, wraps with a big variety of fillings,we do all kinds of breakfast as well.

What is your preferred choice for lunch here?

My favourite is the Chiken pesto panini.

What is it that you like about Molesey?

Lovely supportive people around. 

What would you recommend that people may not have tried before?

I would definitely advise Lamb Moussaka from our chef.

What is the best thing about your job?

Most of all I like the smell of fresh roasted coffee in the morning during prep, it is a real sign that the day is starting and it is a great way to start every day!

What would you recommend for a breakfast to get hard working Molesey residents through their busy day?

English breakfast which includes two eggs, crispy bacon, sausages, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, two slice of toast for only £6 + tea comes free.

The Courtyard Cafe are extremely welcoming to pets and children, it's the perfect place to pitch up after nursery, school, or dog walking!

You can find them at 105 Walton Road, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 0DR.

You may be thinking of moving, or more likely, you are just interested to know if the value of your property has gone up or down. It can be really difficult to guage what is happening with property values, some estate agents are always talking up the market, and the media is generally extremely negative and apocalyptic about the housing market around Surrey and London.

Let us cut out the rhetoric and the "sales spiel" and get down to some undeniable cold hard facts!

Transaction Levels

For most of us, it feels like 2008 was only yesterday, the recession hit and transaction levels went through the floor. As an example, the KT10 postcode area (Esher, Claygate, Hinchley Wood) dropped from over 400 annual transactions to just 184. Since then transactions have increased until the most recent peak in 2013 of 446 total transactions. There has been a steady decline in the number of transactions since then, and in 2017 the Land Registry recorded 354 transactions across Esher, Claygate and Hinchley Wood. The level of transactions has declined by 21% since the most recent peak in 2013, but has increased by 4% over the last year. Hardly a disaster story and by contrast to 2008 levels, a very healthy market place indeed.

A similar story applies to areas like Molesey and Thames Ditton, with transaction levels down 21% over a similar period, and still way above 2008 levels.There really is no comparison to the 2008 recession that has been quoted by some of the more dramatic media sources. To sum up, we are not at the "height" of a market trend but we predict prices to remain where they are for the next 2-3 years with modest fluctuations of around 5% +/- throughout this period.

Property Values

So you know transaction levels are still high, just not as high as they’ve been before, and we know what we're all really interested in… The value of property!

Last year property values across Molesey, Esher, Claygate, Hinchley Wood and Thames Ditton slipped slightly, with the lower end of the market dipping around 5% and the £1m + market dipping by 7% or more. This was purely down to affordability issues and scepticism from would be buyers. As a company, we experienced a market where buyers wanted to buy with interest rates at an all-time low, but sellers were still hoping for record breaking prices creating a gap that either the seller, or the buyer needed to fill. As the consumer dictates the price of a product by demand, this quickly formed a "buyers’ market" mentality, but once asking prices were adjusted, there were plenty of buyers for every property as they jumped at the chance to secure a reasonably priced home.

Since the beginning of 2018, house values have increased across all of the areas we cover: KT10 by 5%, KT8 by 3.14% and KT7 by 5.43%, this shows that the adjustment in asking prices last year from the majority of sellers created more competition from buyers and therefore, persuaded buyers to part with (or borrow) more cash to purchase their next home.

What we are still seeing is an extremely price sensitive marketplace, overestimating your property's value or listing with an agent purely because they provided you with a surprisingly high and intoxicating valuation, can cost you in the long run. Where properties remain on the market for longer than expected, buyers will assume you are desperate to sell and we have in extreme cases, received offers 15% below asking price. This will hinder your chances of getting market value and will make it nearly impossible for your agent to negotiate the best possible price for your property. Correct asking price = hordes of buyers = multiple offers = best price AND best position to proceed.

If you are thinking of selling, look at the sold history in your area on either Rightmove, Zoopla or Land Registry, asking prices are not always, what a property will sell for. Check how long a property has been on the market for, ask yourself why it hasn't sold if it has been on the market for months. Get multiple valuations from agents who have a good record of accomplishment in your area, listen to the facts and evidence rather than just listening to what you hope to hear. In an age where "fake news" has penetrated the majority of information sources, only the facts and evidence that you can verify matter, and that is all a buyer will consider – unless they fall in love with your property and have to submit a sealed bid because there are multiple interested parties! They are more likely to consult their mortgage broker than sold data at that stage!

If you are thinking of selling, would like clear advice on the value of your home and the best marketing strategy to adopt when and if you decide to sell, please call our sales team on either 0208 396 6717 or 01372 631 622 for more information. Alternatively, you can book a FREE valuation by clicking the link below.

BOOK A VALUATION

It's not long until #LoveMolesey and the team are busy finalising details for a huge range of projects. So far they already have cleanup projects, opportunities to make a difference in our local schools, care homes and the day centre, tea parties for seniors, a fun games night for young people and even a history walk along the towpath. Over the coming weeks they'll be announcing lots of others so keep checking the website www.lovemolesey.org to find out more. 

On Tuesday 13th March they'll be holding their launch event, during which you will have the opportunity to hear from the organising team all about the vision behind #LoveMolesey and what’s coming up. You will also have the chance to meet many of the team leaders to learn more about the different projects which will be running over the course of the 4 weeks and how you can get involved. Refreshments will be available, we look forward to seeing you there!

If you already live in Molesey, you already know where Musicland East is. We were lucky enough to have a chat with owner James Etherington to talk about Musicland East, Molesey, and what keeps him in love with music and teaching.

Yes that is a chrome guitar, and yes the only other time you may have seen one like it was on the cover of Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits!

The shop has an extremely welcoming feel, and you are instantly greeted by some amazing instruments (and musicians).

The workbench where James repairs and maintains instruments.

As soon as you enter the shop your are welcomed by the relaxed and unpolished vibe that is clearly perfect for the creative nature of teaching and experimenting with music. There is an array of stringed instruments that line the walls, along with amplifiers, straps, leads and retro festival posters amongst other things. The entire building is charming, even down to the work bench where James repairs and maintains their customer's instruments.

One of the teaching rooms at Musicland East, just look at those posters! How could you not be inspired!

Thats right. Thats a guitar made around a motor oil can. They are even cooler in real life!

Whilst there is a clear emphasis on the technical and theoretical side of music, the teaching/ practise rooms continue the relaxed vibes within the shop, and the staff have a superb knowledge of their respective crafts. This makes for a perfect, pressure free learning environment for any aspiring musicians, whether it be guitar, piano, or drums, this has to be one of the most charming and inspirational places to learn.

We asked James a few questions whilst we were there, we hope you enjoy reading what he had to say, and we've included contact details at the end of this article in case you want to start (or continue!) a passion for music at Musicland East.

How long has Musicland East been in Molesey for?

Since 1996, so about 22 years on the corner of Matham Road and Walton Road.

What services and products do you offer?

We do a lot of teaching here, with guitar, bass, drums, piano and ukelele lessons going seven days a week, out of four teaching rooms. We also stock new and second hand instruments and accessories, and I carry out repairs and setups on string instruments on site as well.

What is it that you like about working in Molesey and the general community?

 The people are cool and really get behind stuff. There's quite a few open mic nights in the area and we've had a massive response to our larger Musicland Live events, which give our students the opportunity to get together into bands and have them perform on a proper stage and gain some experience.  Its' a great evening and we always sell hundreds of tickets, and it can only grow off the back of the community that supports it. Luckily, Molesey has a great one!

What's your top tip for someone looking to get into music/learning an instrument?

Get a reasonable instrument but don't break the bank yet, make sure it's set up and tuned correctly, and play everyday for the love of it so you advance naturally. My main instrument is the guitar and there's such a range of approaches and styles you can play in and so much advice out there, but play the music you love to hear and you'll be on the right track.

What is your favourite thing about your job?

We get a real opportunity to make a difference. The shop meant a lot to me growing up, and I can see it means a lot to some of our younger students now. The community atmosphere gives way to the tendency to dream big, and it's great to have a shop full of musicians and those who support them, seven days a week, in a community that lets it thrive.

Musicland East

52-54 Walton Road, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 0DL

0208 979 9443

musiclandeast@hotmail.com

musiclandeast.com

With the support of Righmove.co.uk, the BEAG carried out analysis of some 1 million property listings, 3 million transactions, 50 million leads, 3 billion property views and conducted 30,000 mystery shops.

Only the top 20% of estate agents in the country have been featured in the guide, and not only are Newton Huxley the only estate agent in Molesey to feature in the Sales category, we have received exceptional status, placing us within the top 5% of estate agents in the UK.

So when it comes to choosing which estate agent should be appointed to sell your property, you can rest assured that you will get nothing but the very best from those featured in the Best Estate Agent Guide.

To find out more or to search the featured agents in your area please visit: www.bestestateagentguide.co.uk.

If you live in Molesey, Esher, Claygate, Thames Ditton or Hinchley Wood – you've already found your local exceptionally rated estate agent!

Call us now on 020 8396 6717 for more information about your local market or to arrange a free valuation of your home.

You may have recently received a letter from us, offering a reduced commission rate in response to an influx of buyers and tenants registering for property in Surrey. More specifically, buyers and tenants migrating from South West London.

With demand remaining high, we have decided to extend our reduced commission promotional offer until the 12th December 20116

If you are considering selling or letting your property please contact our headquarters on 020 8396 6717 to speak to a member of our residential team.

ALL VALUATIONS ARE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE AND WITHOUT OBLIGATION.

BOOK A SALES OR LETTINGS VALUATION