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Honest Advice. Every Step. |
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Selling a property often feels overwhelming,
but it shouldn’t leave you second-guessing your decisions.
For clarity and confidence, book a valuation
or request an appointment today. |
Thursday, 26 February 2026
Selling doesn’t have to be complicated
Monday, 23 February 2026
Huddersfield Homeowners: Avoid The Overpricing Trap
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Avoid the Trap The property market is often misunderstood, especially
when headlines focus on extremes. The reality is more balanced — but pricing
has never been more important. Nationally, house price growth is steady at 2.5% per year.
There were 663,000 UK homes for sale in January, compared to a pre-Covid
average of 559,000. More choice for buyers means more competition for
sellers. Yet homes are still selling. In Huddersfield, 225 homes sold subject to contract in
January 2024. By January 2026, that had risen to 263 — a 16.9% increase.
However, available homes also rose from 1,504 to 1,601, giving buyers more
options. That’s exactly why pricing strategy matters. Why Pricing Correctly in Huddersfield Is Crucial If your home launches at too high a price, it can
seriously reduce your chances of moving. Buyers search within strict budgets. If your property
looks overpriced compared to similar Huddersfield homes, it is filtered out —
or ignored. When interest is slow, price reductions usually follow. The
longer a property sits unsold, the more buyers wonder what’s wrong with it. And the data is clear:
Speed isn’t luck — it’s pricing. The Huddersfield Reality In 2025, 4,147 Huddersfield homes left estate agents’
books.
That means only 63.67% of Huddersfield sellers
actually moved. Over 36% failed to sell. (Huddersfield defined as HD1–5, HD7–8.) Some assume switching agents solves the problem — yet only
6.9% of UK homes sell with a second agent. Once momentum is lost, it’s
difficult to recover. The Costly Trap of Overvaluing Overpricing may feel reassuring at first — even
flattering. But you only get one true launch window. The first few weeks generate the most attention. Miss that
window with an inflated price and momentum fades. Interest cools. Reductions
follow. Time is lost. Some agency models prioritise winning instructions over
completing sales, often tying sellers into long sole-agency contracts of
20–26 weeks. This can mean an ambitious launch price followed by gradual
reductions — rather than pricing correctly from day one. Correct pricing isn’t about being conservative. It’s about
being competitive. Outlook for Huddersfield We’re unlikely to see dramatic price booms — but there’s
no clear sign of a crash either. Interest rates are forecast to ease gradually through
2026, potentially improving affordability. Wage growth has also been running
above inflation, strengthening household finances. The market is stabilising — not collapsing. For Huddersfield homeowners, the message is simple: In a market with more choice and more informed buyers,
pricing realistically from the outset gives you control. It protects your
equity, strengthens your position, and gives you the best chance of moving
successfully. If you’re considering a move in Huddersfield, a data-led
appraisal will show exactly where your property sits in today’s market — and
how to price it to sell. Feel free to get in touch for a no-obligation chat about
your plans or any of my Huddersfield property insights. |
Wednesday, 18 February 2026
The Myth of the “Kind” Huddersfield Landlord
Most rental problems in Huddersfield don’t start with bad landlords or tenants. They start with good intentions — and silence.
Imagine a tenant moves
into a two-bedroom home in 2016 at £530 per month. It’s fair for the time.
Everyone is happy.
Over the years, rents
across Huddersfield rise sharply. By 2025, similar homes rent for £795 per
month. But this tenant is paying only £605 — £190 below market rate.
At first, this feels kind
and fair.
- The
landlord avoids awkward conversations.
- The
tenant enjoys stability and affordable rent.
But slowly, problems
build.
Because the rent stays
low:
- The
landlord earns less than the market allows.
- Improvements
and upgrades often get delayed.
- The
property falls behind current standards.
Then life changes. The
landlord needs to sell.
With rent far below
market level and the property needing updates, the home sells for less than it
could have. A new landlord takes over — and quickly raises the rent to the full
market rate.
For the tenant, the
increase feels sudden and shocking. What was stable for years becomes
unaffordable almost overnight. Stress follows. Sometimes even eviction.
The hard truth?
Regular, small rent
reviews are usually kinder in the long run. Gradual increases:
- Help
tenants adjust.
- Allow
landlords to maintain the property properly.
- Reduce
the risk of sudden sales and big shocks later.
Ignoring the market
doesn’t protect anyone. It simply delays the consequences.
Slow, steady change is
easier than sudden upheaval.
If you’re a
Huddersfield landlord managing your own property and this sounds familiar, it
may be worth reviewing things sooner rather than later.
Saturday, 31 January 2026
Renters Right Bill - Important Information
The Government has now confirmed the draft wording and content required for the new Written Statement of Terms and Information under the Renters’ Rights Act.
It has now been announced that from 1 May 2026 all new tenancies
(and any tenancy agreed after this date) must be accompanied by a Written
Statement of Terms and Information containing prescribed mandatory content
before the tenancy agreement is signed or occupancy begins.
This also means that existing tenancies with written agreements,
landlords must serve tenants with a government-issued Information Sheet
explaining the Renters’ Rights Act changes by the 31st May 2026
And by the 31st May Existing oral/verbal tenancies must
be formalised in writing or accompanied by a written summary of key terms by
this date.
Written Statement of Terms — What
Must Be Included
Under the draft Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written
Statement of Terms, etc. and Information Sheet) Regulations 2026, the following
are mandatory in the written statement for assured periodic tenancies from 1
May 2026:-
- Landlord name(s) (including joint landlords)
- Tenant name(s)
- Address in England or Wales where notices can be served
on the landlord
- Address of the property
- Date tenant is entitled to possession
- Rent amount and payment due dates
- Statement that rent can only be increased via a Section
13 notice
- Details of utilities/council tax/TV/comms — whether
included or separately payable, and how payment/notification will work
- Security deposit amount (if taken)
- Minimum tenant notice period required to terminate the
tenancy (typically two months unless otherwise agreed)
- Possession process information:
- Landlord normally needs a court order to end the
tenancy
- Service of a Section 8 Notice and that the notice
period depends on the grounds used
- Fit for human habitation obligation (in most cases)
- Landlord safety & maintenance obligations:
- Section 11 Landlord & Tenant Act 1985
- Electrical Safety Regulations
- Gas Safety (installation and use) Regulations (if gas
present)
- Equality Act Section 190 information — unreasonably
withholding consent to adaptations for disability is prohibited
- Pets statement — tenants can request a pet under
Section 16A of HA1988 and landlord must not unreasonably refuse
- Supported accommodation statement (if relevant) — with
an explanation why it meets supported accommodation criteria.
Failure to provide a compliant Written
Statement can result in:
- Civil penalties of up to £7,000
- Higher penalties for serious or repeat breaches
As the leading agent in the area we will of course ensure you are
protected for those who use our managed service.
As always any further updates we will advise,
Saturday, 10 January 2026
What Could Happen to Huddersfield House Prices in 2026?
What
Could Really Happen to Huddersfield House Prices in 2026?
As the new year begins,
many Huddersfield homeowners find themselves asking the same question they ask
every January:
“Do I put my home on the market now… or wait until spring?”
In the run-up to
Christmas, I’ve had countless conversations with Huddersfield buyers, sellers,
and buy-to-let landlords. And one question kept coming up again and again:
“What will happen to Huddersfield house prices in 2026?”
First-time buyers worry
they might be buying just before a downturn. Homeowners want to know whether
prices will rise further—and if so, when the peak might be before they sell.
Landlords feel caught in the middle, unsure whether to expand their portfolio
or start trimming it back.
No one has a crystal
ball. But while most property commentators are not predicting doom and gloom,
the real question remains:
Will 2026 bring a boom… or something more measured?
Forget
the Headlines — What Actually Moves House Prices?
When people ask where
Huddersfield house prices are heading, they often look for bold predictions,
dramatic forecasts, or even a bit of crystal-ball gazing.
But property prices are
driven by something far simpler—and far more reliable:
Supply and demand.
- When there are more buyers than
homes, prices are supported.
- When there are more homes than
buyers, prices soften.
Strip away the noise,
and this relationship hasn’t changed. Ever.
So let’s look at
Huddersfield through that lens.
The
Supply of Huddersfield Homes
The number of properties
for sale tells us far more about future price movements than any national
headline.
Here’s how supply has
changed in Huddersfield over recent years:
- January
2020: 1,836 homes for sale
- January
2021: 1,289
- January
2022: 806
- January
2023: 1,278
- January
2024: 1,486
- January
2026: 1,476 homes for sale
The pandemic triggered a
major rethink for many households. Bigger rooms, home offices, and more space
shot up the priority list. That “race for space” in 2020 and 2021 pulled
forward moves that many families had planned for later years.
Demand surged. Supply
fell. And prices rose.
So, does today’s higher
stock level mean a crash is coming?
Not necessarily.
To put things into
perspective, back in 2008, Huddersfield regularly had 2,800–3,100 homes
on the market. We are nowhere near those levels.
That’s why most
commentators agree that, while the market may remain steady rather than
spectacular, a major crash looks unlikely based on supply alone.
What
About Demand in Huddersfield?
Demand is best measured
by how many homes actually sell.
Here’s what we’ve seen:
- 2020:
2,652 sales
- 2021:
3,137
- 2022:
2,727
- 2023:
2,291
- 2024:
2,417
- 2025:
2,606
(Huddersfield = HD1–HD5, HD7–HD8)
Demand is largely driven
by mortgage availability, affordability, employment levels, and interest rates.
Compare today with 2007:
- Mortgage rates then: 6.5%–7.5%
- Rising unemployment forced many
homeowners to sell
- The credit crunch slashed
mortgage availability
Demand collapsed.
Today, the picture is
very different.
Most homeowners are on
mortgage rates of 3%–5%, real wages are rising, and unemployment remains
low and stable. Crucially, there is far less pressure forcing people to sell
their Huddersfield homes.
Is
2026 the Right Time to Buy Your First Home in Huddersfield?
This depends far more on
your
personal situation than on trying to time the market.
If the right
Huddersfield home is available, affordable, and fits your needs, waiting can
often be counterproductive. Buying a home is a long-term decision—usually 25 to
35 years. Waiting endlessly for the “perfect” moment can mean never getting
started at all.
It’s also worth
remembering that mortgage payments for first-time buyers are 26.5% cheaper (as a
percentage of take-home pay) than they were in 2007.
Every month you delay is
another month paying someone else’s mortgage.
There are still
attractive fixed-rate deals for buyers with solid deposits, and even 5% deposit
mortgages remain available—albeit at slightly higher rates than those with
larger deposits, but still below the peaks seen 18 months ago.
What
About Landlords?
For landlords, steady
house prices combined with rents rising faster than inflation in many areas are
improving rental yields.
While challenges remain,
a stable sales market is generally supportive of long-term rental strategies.
So…
Where Will Huddersfield House Prices Be by the End of 2026?
Taking everything into
account, my view is that Huddersfield house prices will grow by around 1% to 2% in 2026,
broadly in line with 2025.
That’s an average.
Some property types and
locations will outperform that figure, while others may lag slightly behind.
The key factor remains affordability.
Plan sensibly. Build
financial resilience. Allow for future rate changes. Make decisions that suit your circumstances—not
the headlines.
Do that, and you’ll be
well placed whatever the Huddersfield property market does next.
What
Could Really Happen to Huddersfield House Prices in 2026?
As the new year begins,
many Huddersfield homeowners find themselves asking the same question they ask
every January:
“Do I put my home on the market now… or wait until spring?”
In the run-up to
Christmas, I’ve had countless conversations with Huddersfield buyers, sellers,
and buy-to-let landlords. And one question kept coming up again and again:
“What will happen to Huddersfield house prices in 2026?”
First-time buyers worry
they might be buying just before a downturn. Homeowners want to know whether
prices will rise further—and if so, when the peak might be before they sell.
Landlords feel caught in the middle, unsure whether to expand their portfolio
or start trimming it back.
No one has a crystal
ball. But while most property commentators are not predicting doom and gloom,
the real question remains:
Will 2026 bring a boom… or something more measured?
Forget
the Headlines — What Actually Moves House Prices?
When people ask where
Huddersfield house prices are heading, they often look for bold predictions,
dramatic forecasts, or even a bit of crystal-ball gazing.
But property prices are
driven by something far simpler—and far more reliable:
Supply and demand.
- When there are more buyers than
homes, prices are supported.
- When there are more homes than
buyers, prices soften.
Strip away the noise,
and this relationship hasn’t changed. Ever.
So let’s look at
Huddersfield through that lens.
The
Supply of Huddersfield Homes
The number of properties
for sale tells us far more about future price movements than any national
headline.
Here’s how supply has
changed in Huddersfield over recent years:
- January
2020: 1,836 homes for sale
- January
2021: 1,289
- January
2022: 806
- January
2023: 1,278
- January
2024: 1,486
- January
2026: 1,476 homes for sale
The pandemic triggered a
major rethink for many households. Bigger rooms, home offices, and more space
shot up the priority list. That “race for space” in 2020 and 2021 pulled
forward moves that many families had planned for later years.
Demand surged. Supply
fell. And prices rose.
So, does today’s higher
stock level mean a crash is coming?
Not necessarily.
To put things into
perspective, back in 2008, Huddersfield regularly had 2,800–3,100 homes
on the market. We are nowhere near those levels.
That’s why most
commentators agree that, while the market may remain steady rather than
spectacular, a major crash looks unlikely based on supply alone.
What
About Demand in Huddersfield?
Demand is best measured
by how many homes actually sell.
Here’s what we’ve seen:
- 2020:
2,652 sales
- 2021:
3,137
- 2022:
2,727
- 2023:
2,291
- 2024:
2,417
- 2025:
2,606
(Huddersfield = HD1–HD5, HD7–HD8)
Demand is largely driven
by mortgage availability, affordability, employment levels, and interest rates.
Compare today with 2007:
- Mortgage rates then: 6.5%–7.5%
- Rising unemployment forced many
homeowners to sell
- The credit crunch slashed
mortgage availability
Demand collapsed.
Today, the picture is
very different.
Most homeowners are on
mortgage rates of 3%–5%, real wages are rising, and unemployment remains
low and stable. Crucially, there is far less pressure forcing people to sell
their Huddersfield homes.
Is
2026 the Right Time to Buy Your First Home in Huddersfield?
This depends far more on
your
personal situation than on trying to time the market.
If the right
Huddersfield home is available, affordable, and fits your needs, waiting can
often be counterproductive. Buying a home is a long-term decision—usually 25 to
35 years. Waiting endlessly for the “perfect” moment can mean never getting
started at all.
It’s also worth
remembering that mortgage payments for first-time buyers are 26.5% cheaper (as a
percentage of take-home pay) than they were in 2007.
Every month you delay is
another month paying someone else’s mortgage.
There are still
attractive fixed-rate deals for buyers with solid deposits, and even 5% deposit
mortgages remain available—albeit at slightly higher rates than those with
larger deposits, but still below the peaks seen 18 months ago.
What
About Landlords?
For landlords, steady
house prices combined with rents rising faster than inflation in many areas are
improving rental yields.
While challenges remain,
a stable sales market is generally supportive of long-term rental strategies.
So…
Where Will Huddersfield House Prices Be by the End of 2026?
Taking everything into
account, my view is that Huddersfield house prices will grow by around 1% to 2% in 2026,
broadly in line with 2025.
That’s an average.
Some property types and
locations will outperform that figure, while others may lag slightly behind.
The key factor remains affordability.
Plan sensibly. Build
financial resilience. Allow for future rate changes. Make decisions that suit your circumstances—not
the headlines.
UK Property Market : 2025 vs 2024
UK Property Market 2025 vs 2024, A More Local Story Than Ever
This comparison of UK
homes, split down by region sold subject to contract in 2025 versus 2024 shows
a market that is steady overall, but increasingly shaped by local conditions
rather than national headlines.
Several regions have
seen encouraging growth in house sale volumes. The East Midlands leads
with transactions up 5.6%, closely followed by the West Midlands at
4.6%. These areas continue to benefit from a combination of affordability,
sensible pricing and consistent buyer demand.
Across the North,
activity remains positive and resilient. The North West and North East are
both up 3.4%, with Yorkshire and the Humber slightly higher at
3.5%. Northern
Ireland also continues its steady recovery, recording a
4.2% uplift in sales agreed.
In the South, growth is
present but more measured. The South East has seen a 2.7%
increase, while the South West is up 1.3%. These figures reflect a
market that is functioning, but with buyers taking more time and being more
selective.
For Scotland and London,
sales volumes are lower than last year, down 2.1% and 3.5% respectively. Rather
than signalling weakness, this points to adjustment. Both markets are highly
sensitive to pricing, affordability and policy changes, and typically respond
later in the cycle. Importantly, demand remains, but expectations on price and
value are tighter.
Renters Rights Bill- Important information
Following our previous correspondence we are writing to update you on an important change in the law that came into effect on 27th December, following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
While many of the headline reforms will
not apply until May 2026, the government has chosen to activate local authority
enforcement powers early, as I said previously local council already have
powers and are busy enough but it’s important we make you aware. From 27th
December, local councils have been given enhanced powers and a legal duty to
enforce existing rental legislation- essentially this means councils can now
take a much more proactive approach when checking landlord and agent
compliance.
Under these powers, councils can:
- Request and inspect
landlord/agent documentation — including tenancy
agreements, safety certificates, deposit details, licensing evidence and
more.
- Enter business premises to
inspect compliance records (typically with notice but in some cases
without).
- Inspect rented properties — often
by providing the tenant with short notice (e.g., 24 hours), and without
always notifying the landlord first.
- Access third-party data to
support investigations.
Alongside investigatory powers, councils
are now under a statutory duty to enforce relevant housing legislation in their
area rather than acting only reactively.
This means:
- Local authorities must proactively investigate
suspected breaches of rental law.
- They must consider appropriate enforcement action once
non-compliance is identified — not just issue warnings.
- Councils can impose civil penalties and other
enforcement where breaches are substantiated.
This is not new law, but enforcement of
existing obligations but in a significantly stronger method. Councils
have been given additional funding specifically to support enforcement and are
expected to actively investigate non-compliance, including cross-checking data
across departments.
What this
means for you as a landlord
If your property paperwork is in order,
there is nothing new you need to do today. However, landlords who have gaps in
documentation or overdue compliance items may now be at greater risk of
enforcement action.
How we are
supporting you
As your managing agent, we are already:
- Reviewing compliance documentation held on file
- Monitoring renewal dates for safety certificates
- Ensuring repair and maintenance records are up to date
- Preparing for the wider changes coming in 2026
If we identify anything missing or
requiring attention, we will contact you directly with clear guidance on next
steps.
For now, the key message is simple:
Good record-keeping and compliance are more important than ever;
this is especially important for those landlords who instruct their own
certificates.
If you have any questions about your
property or would like reassurance that your documentation is fully compliant,
please do not hesitate to contact my expert team,
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