A Guide to the Surrey Housing Market in August 2020

As we move into a less restrictive phase of the Covid-19 response, many people in Surrey are slowly adjusting to life after lockdown. It will take a while to get things on an even footing and help within the wider Surrey community will help move items forward. That’s why we believe in sharing useful information wherever we can, especially for people who are considering relocating in 2020 or next year.

WH Cox & Son study the Surrey and UK housing markets to keep up to date on any trends or shifts in consumer behaviour. Coupled with our experience, this is our guide for homeowners and tenants in Surrey, to help navigate possible upcoming and future moves.

Housing Market Trends and Removals News –

At WH Cox & Son, we prepare ahead for everything to the best of our ability. That’s why we take a keen interest in what’s happening in the local and national housing market. It helps us prepare for any busy periods where people or companies start booking relocations at a higher than usual rate. Then we can anticipate how to allocate our crew members and vehicles in advance, in addition to sharing our information with our partners in the Master Removers Group.

It’s still too early to make any definite statements, but there seems to be a large number of people leaving or planning on moving from London. Our team made hundreds of relocations during the lockdown, taking people from the capital to other areas, often to family homes.  A lot of follow-up bookings took place later to move the remaining items to their new location.

Our associate companies in London often discuss the motivations for relocations with customers to try and understand specific trends. Additionally, we seek further information from the more prominent property experts. And by the looks of things, this doesn’t look like it’s a temporary trend. A lot of people are looking into making their move from London permanent.

From the feedback, we’ve received and other sources, it’s apparent that a lack of outdoor space is an issue inner-city property have. People are telling us that something simple like a back garden is now a higher priority, and they would consider moving to have a feature like this. Which is why there has been a significant increase in online searches and property viewing data for moves to the countryside.

How Self Storage Benefits Remote Working –

Another major shift in the way we work is creating a lot more storage customers. More and more people are working from home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This causes an imbalance because you’re effectively working and living in the same property. Space issues quickly occur, especially if two or more people are working remotely. That’s where self storage becomes an essential service.

WH Cox’s self storage packages are the ideal way to solve this problem by freeing up more space in your house or apartment. Our team can also assist you by converting a room to make a home office or study. We have a range of storage options available, for households and businesses in Surrey. This includes container and self storage units, depending on what level of access you need.

Every storage unit has environmental controls to ensure everything remains in the same condition while in storage. This removes any issues with condensation or overheating. We have everything in place to create a storage package for your exact requirements. You won’t find a better range of storage options anywhere else in Surrey, while you adapt to working remotely.

WH Cox and Son’s COVID-19 Removals Policy –

We’re now in the next phase in the lockdown process, and this will see more movement and fewer restrictions, which brings new potential cases. That’s why we formulated our Covid-19 Health Policy to ensure all our relocations and storage jobs are safe. Additionally, we will provide updates on any major developments to how we operate when introducing them.

WH Cox & Son’s Covid Policy is our commitment to our customers and staff. It aims to promote the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitisation, with a view of preventing any new infections of Covid-19. While we understand how vital a relocation is, it must always be done safely and within the guidelines set by Public Health England, and the World Health Organisation.

Every member of our removal’s team will regularly wash or sanitise their hands, which includes before arrival and throughout the job. WH Cox provides our team’s with PPE equipment and hand sanitiser. We will also wipe down any surfaces or frequently touched objects with disinfectant wipes. We would also suggest booking a professional cleaning service which we can provide a referral for.

We’re also taking inquiries and bookings from online video platforms. Video quoting, via WhatsApp, Facetime, Skype or Zoom, is how we offer quotes. We can conduct in-person meetings where necessary, but we’re trying to limit them. These measures will help reduce any risks of infection without causing any issues with the services we offer. We will always be available to discuss your relocation by phone, email, or on one of the video platforms.

Information for Homeowners and Renters in Surrey –

The Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on the economy is still unclear, and we won’t know the true damage for several months. Usually, something as wide-reaching does tend to result in a shrinking economic outlook. And it’s highly likely to affect the housing market, for homeowners and tenants. However, by lifting several restrictions in May, a significant market crash didn’t happen, and we’re in a better position to move forward with confidence.

Surrey previously saw a steady increase in property values over the last decade. However, there is already evidence of a decrease in Surrey’s housing market as a result of the lockdown. The average value for 2019 was £578,740, and the current average for 2020 is £565,317, which is a 2.3% decrease. While this highlights some cause for concern, this may be a temporary issue.

Surrey Live reports an increase in sales for commuter towns such as Woking, in addition to villages like Shackleford and Dorking. Could this be the influx of new residents escaping London? It’s too early to tell how this will impact the overall average property prices, but it’s certainly good news on the horizon as we move towards normality.

Renters might notice a decrease in prices as a result of the lockdown, with more properties becoming available. Although it’s hard to predict what the long-term prospect of this will be, as Savills UK suggests that it’s likely another drop 1.5% in rental values will then go up by 5.5% next year. If previous largescale economic issues are anything to go by, rental costs show more evidence of being resilient than mortgage values.

How Do I Create a Moving Checklist?

What is a moving checklist? You might have heard the term before, but you’re unfamiliar with making or using one. Essentially, it’s the master document that will guide your relocation through every stage. It’s specific to your needs and should include a calendar to set deadlines. You’ll need to work backwards from the date of the move to calculate the number of weeks.

Your moving checklist will contain every task you need to undertake to complete your relocation, so start by noting everything down. From there, you’ll split all the larger tasks into smaller action points. This makes things easier to do if you break them down. And aim to complete three of these more minor action points per week minimum. You can start today by contacting WH Cox to book your relocation.

You’ll need to contact utility providers and the local council to inform them of the date of departure from your current home. Your utility providers will ask you to take meter readings. You must put this on your list to avoid receiving bills months after you move.

It’s crucial that you do lots of research on the place you’re moving to. This should include everything, from healthcare, schools, local amenities, transport, and entertainment. Additionally, your checklist can consist of the features you need the new property to have. This advice isn’t exhaustive and can include separate lists. The key thing to remember is that more planning leads to a successful relocation.

High Standards of Customer Service –

Moving to a new house or apartment is not an easy task. There is a lot of things to remember, and without a plan, it’s easy to forget to do something. That’s why it’s essential to work with a reliable removals company whose reputation is built on customer service. While this might seem impossible to do this without knowing much about a company, the internet can help you.

Finding a reliable removals company is much easier than it was many years ago. Now you can research any company that’s live on Google. Previous customers rate their service out of five, and many of them leave written comments. This might be an invaluable tool that places more power with the consumer. And you’ll see why we’re big fans of this function by reading some of our five-star reviews here.

Customer service is the key to why we have such a good reputation. And we strive to meet and surpass our customer’s expectations on every job we undertake. Even if you’re just looking for a quote, you can contact the WH Cox team, and we’ll gladly create one for you. We’re confident we can match your requirements with the correct removals service.

WH Cox & Son – Surrey’s Number One for Removals and Storage –

WH Cox & Son is Surrey’s favourite removals and storage company. We relocate hundreds of people every week, and we operate all over Surrey and the neighbouring counties. Furthermore, if you have a town or village you want to start arranging viewings at, we will gladly provide you with any information we can about it.

Finding the right work-life balance is something we’re all doing our best to achieve. The lockdown was an eye-opening experience, which is now leading people to evaluate their current property. As outdoor spaces and a better quality of life become more sought-after, it’s obvious why Surrey is a popular destination for relocations.

If you would like to know more about our range of services, contact us today. We’ll gladly go through them in more detail, in addition to answering any questions you have about Surrey.