Guide to selling a house in Manchester today
If you currently have one or more houses for sale in Manchester, then you’ll know just how competitive the market is currently. However, if you are fortunate enough to own property in Manchester, the future is probably bright. Of course, the recent house price rises in the city have been well documented, but there is also a long-term trend of property value increases in the city. According to a recent article in the Manchester Evening News, house prices have risen in 51 per cent of Manchester districts since 2004. So whilst there have been some bumps in the road over the course of the last decade, there is little doubt that property in most areas of the city is still a good investment.
Despite the general upwards trend of property prices, it is important to approach the selling of your own property with caution. The picture is mixed depending on where you are in the city, and the headline price rises being reported for the city don’t necessarily reflect what your property is worth. If you want to sell your house fast in Manchester, you need to value your home realistically. And the only way you can do that is to research house sold data and transaction statistics for similar homes in your immediate locality. You can find recent data on sites like Zoopla and Rightmove, and the government’s official statistics are freely available at The Land Registry website. Ascertain what the average home sells for on your street, and set an asking price that will garner sufficient interest from local buyers without devaluing your home.
How to market your home in Manchester
Make no mistake, in many areas of Manchester; the housing market is booming. If you own a home in the city, the next few years could be a time when the value of your property rises significantly. But whatever the headlines are saying, you should be prepared for a tough time if you need to sell your home in Manchester. The local Manchester market has changed significantly since the boom years at the turn of the millennium. (UPDATE September 2016: Brexit may affect property prices & values in Manchester so read our useful article here). Credit is scarce, and people are more price-conscious in the property markets. As a result, many people have been priced out of the market altogether and forced to resign themselves to a lifetime of renting. This all means one thing: you need to market your home effectively.
Whilst you could market your home privately, it isn’t advisable unless you have a great deal of time to spare and an intrinsic knowledge of the property market. Hiring an estate agent in Manchester may cost you more money, but it will allow you to tap into a market of potential buyers from the outset. A good agent will take control of negotiations with buyers, property viewings, advertising and setting an initial asking price – although the final decision will be yours. And with the property market in Manchester booming at the moment, the premium an agent can deliver could more than pay for their fees and commissions.
Unfortunately, an estate agent with houses for sale in Manchester can’t give you any guarantees at the start of the process on the sale price you can achieve and how quickly you can sell your home. If the sale of your property is time sensitive, or you don’t want the stress and uncertainty that goes hand in hand with the open property market, you can allow us to buy your home. We can secure you an offer of up to 100 per cent of your house’s value – from us or a serious buyer with no chain. This means you can start to plan the next chapter of your life with a degree of certainty.
What time of year is best for selling houses in Manchester
Such is the strength of the Manchester housing market; any time could be a great time to list your house for sale. However, there are usually times when buyers are more likely to be in the market. According to many agents and property sellers, the weeks after Christmas and the summer holidays have been when serious buyers come out in force. They aren’t held back by the distractions and expense of leisure time and the festive season, so they can fully focus on purchasing a new home. However, according to statistics published on the Home website, the property market in Manchester isn’t following that pattern. During the 12 months to April 2014, the most popular month for home sales was August, closely followed by November. While there isn’t much evidence to suggest that the time of year significantly affects the value of your home, you should take into account the changing outlook and priorities of buyers as the seasons change – and stage your home accordingly.
A look at the various areas within Manchester
There is no doubt that rising house prices across Manchester is exciting news if you happen to own property in the city. But before you get carried away with what your property can achieve on the open market, you should be aware that Manchester is a city with a huge price gap between the sought-after neighbourhoods and those experiencing flat-lining or decreasing values.
Some parts of Manchester have outperformed London in house price growth, which suggests that people and businesses are looking at the northwest city as a cheaper alternative to the capital. Some of the city’s most prestigious neighbourhoods include Worsley, Newton Health, the city centre, and Altrincham. Indeed, one particular house sold for £2 million in 2014. However, the price growth in these areas is in stark contrast to what is happening in more city deprived areas. For example, homes in Middleton and Moss Side are stagnant at best. And according to Proviser.com, a house within the M16 postcode sold for as little as £15,000 recently. If you want a rough estimate of what your home may be worth, the Manchester Evening News recently published a convenient guide that relates average house prices to Manchester postcodes.
What is influencing the price of houses for sale in Manchester?
A range of factors is influencing house prices of houses for sale in Manchester at the moment. Perhaps most significantly, the city’s economy grows quickly, creating the wealth needed to boost the housing market. In addition, the government has earmarked Manchester as a major centre for decentralised services for the north of England, which is creating more jobs and attracting international investment. And the search for the more affordable city-centre property than that available in the capital seems to be benefitting Manchester more than most of the UK’s regions.
No other city outside London is benefitting from regeneration and urban development in the way Manchester is. Both the BBC and ITV are now headquartered at Media City in Salford Quays. The group that owns Manchester City has poured millions into a new academy facility for the city, and it recently announced a project that will lead to the building of more than 6,000 homes. And if the highly controversial HS2 rail project goes ahead, it is thought that house prices across the city will receive a welcome boost – unless your home is on the proposed main HS2 line.
About Manchester
Manchester has a proud history of manufacturing, and its textiles industry made it the world’s first industrialised city. With a population of around 514,000, it is the sixth-largest city in the UK, yet it forms the basis of the second-largest conurbation in the British Isles with more than 2.5 million. Manchester is located in an area of northwest England that used to be part of both Cheshire and Lancashire, and its exceptional rate of growth in the 19th century was wholly unplanned. Manchester and the surrounding areas became the world centre of the textiles industry, which led to rapid expansion and investment.
Modern-day Manchester is a bustling city that is home to the UK’s television industry. Its industrial past has been superseded by a diverse economy that includes strong financial, advertising and digital media sectors. The city did struggle during the recent economic difficulties, but it managed to avoid the levels of unemployment seen in most other northern towns and cities. It was also one of the first to experience sustained growth from economic recovery during the last recession. Outside London, Manchester is the most recent success story in the British housing market. In many areas of Manchester, house prices are showing double-digit growth, and if you own property in the city, this could be the time to sell. However, if you need to sell your house fast in Manchester, Flying Homes can help. We specialise in finding buyers for house owners who want to avoid the open market and move on quickly. We have access to thousands of buyers across the country, and many of them are willing to get the ball rolling on the purchase of your property today.
Manchester is a city steeped in manufacturing and heavy industry, and it was the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution in Britain. As a result, there are reminders of the city’s past associations with international trade and the textiles industry at every turn. For example, the Manchester Shipping Canal was originally built to ship textiles and other local goods to the Port of Liverpool. Still, it is now a popular holiday destination for barge and longboat owners. And across the city, centuries-old factories and industrial buildings have been renovated for modern uses and preserved as historic tourist attractions.
If you like museums and want to explore Manchester’s history in detail, a trip to The People’s Museum is necessary. Not only does it touch on Manchester’s role in the British Empire, but it also charts the history of British deIn addition, therapy. The Manchester Museum is a great day out for families, as it includes a range of interactive exhibits from the natural world. In fact, Manchester is home to many of Britain finest galleries and museums, including The National Football Museum, The Museum of Science and Industry and The Lowry.
Manchester has one of the most lively night scenes in the UK, and it is packed with trendy bars, restaurants and nightclubs. However, it is also home to some of Europe’s most renowned theatres and concert halls, which stage everything from West End plays to Italian opera. So if you’re looking for a lavish production, you will find one at the Manchester Opera House, The Royal Exchange Theatre or The Palace Theatre. Smaller, amateur productions are at the Library Theatre and the Contact Theatre.
Manchester is one of the fastest-growing, most economically diverse cities in Europe, and it is the only city that seems equipped to keep pace with London in terms of house price growth. Cosmopolitan, affluent and modern, this city is building and improving for the century ahead. So if you happen to own a home in Manchester, the next few years could be a great time to sell. But if you need to sell quickly and for a price that reflects house sold values in Manchester, contact us for a no-obligation conversation with one of our property specialists. We can find a buyer for your house without delay, so you don’t have to negotiate the stresses and strains of the open property market. With many houses for sale in Manchester taking longer to sell than average, getting a quick house sale by selling with Flying Homes help might be your best move yet!
