The property market stays open in all tiers just as before.  Polly Greenway, takes a moment to review a topsy turvy year and looks ahead with optimism to 2021.

So stop press, in spite of the new Government guidelines this weekend, the Housing Minister confirms the housing market – be it sales or rentals –  remains open in all tiers and all associated activities can continue as before.

This is perhaps a moment just to reflect on the topsy turvy year we’ve had an looking ahead to next year!

If Dorset were a year, I think it should be 2021. Next year our county will be a place of renewal and fresh opportunities.

2020 started with a bang. Brexit had passed an enormous hurdle and the property market responded quickly – but by the end of March, nothing.

We were in lockdown.

The market ground to a socially distanced crawl and, frankly, many in the property industry wondered if they would survive.

But by July we had no time to worry about all that because we had the surprise of our lives. ……..Thousands upon thousands of people were fleeing the major metropolitan areas. They sought a quieter, healthier life in peaceful places with room to breathe, where the countryside and coast were beautiful and towns and villages were welcoming.

Many made a beeline to Dorset.

Suddenly we had never been busier, and there didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. It has been an astonishing summer and autumn.

Now things have settled down a bit. But there is still a tremendous job to do getting pipeline sales over the line before the stamp duty holiday comes to its announced end on 31st March 2021.

But buying a property is not about a tax advantage. It is about new beginnings, about building a home for one’s self or family and it is about investing in the future.

With our outstanding National Health Service personnel and medical scientists putting us well on the road to long-term Covid recovery, we can look forward to a bright and optimistic New Year.

Even the Brexit trade talks will have come to one resolution or another.

I believe that the property market in our region will remain active through next year with values continuing to rise. The latest wave of Covid will bring a fresh wave of buyers attracted to our fantastic way of life.

I’m calling 2021, by the name of our county. So I wish everyone, especially our clients – old, new and future – a very happy and extremely healthy, Dorset.