Welcome to this week's edition of The Thistleblower.

Excellent activity levels are being recorded by all of our offices, whether in the form of new buyers registering, or those viewing homes. Based on our own data, the numbers are the largest we’ve seen since January 2015. However, despite this, there is a greater need for homeowners to price the asking price as accurately as possible. The common practice of quoting a much higher figure and waiting for offers is, in my opinion, the wrong way of approaching the sale and marketing of property at this moment in time. Underlying values are still strong, but the method of achieving a sale is different than adopted over the last few years and as such, requires a different approach. Our view is that the asking price has to be as close as possible to the estimated real value. This turns buyers who view, into buyers who buy. Because most buyers search online, they are often unaware whether a vendor will accept an offer, so the asking price needs to convey the correct signal. Accurate pricing will always result in sales, however difficult any marketplace may be.

Ed Mackenzie Smith
Managing Director