January Blues? Not A Bit Of It!

Monday of this week was officially designated ‘Blue Monday’, the date when we are all meant to be feeling at our lowest – a combination of post-Christmas regret, back-to-work misery and January doldrums, writes Tony Abel. 

It makes for a good PR story, but this year the reality is that many people seem to be pretty optimistic.

After a year in which we seemed to be marooned in a quagmire of uncertainty, there seems to be a real sense of purpose as we move into the new year.  Whatever your politics, at least we now have a government which can make decisions; even if you don’t necessarily agree with them, few would argue that the indecision we have had for too long has done us any good at all.  For better or for worse, at least we can now move on.

Certainly there doesn’t seem to be any sign of the usual January hiatus in the property market.  Perhaps buoyed by this new sense of purpose, buyers are out there getting on with it.  We held a special help To Buy event last weekend at our site in Swaffham, which was well-attended by people who were serious about purchasing (and several did as a result). 

2019 came to a close with a news story published on New Year’s Eve which revealed that Norwich is in the Top Ten most searched-for locations outside London on Rightmove.  This is a reflection of a vibrant city which – like the rest of the county – offers a great quality of life, with all the ‘big-city’ amenities such as theatres and restaurants that you could ask for, without many of the issues which can afflict some urban areas.

Whilst the lure of the city centre, especially for young professionals, is well-documented, equally strong is the demand for Norwich’s suburbs.  No matter how much we might grumble at all the roadworks, commuting into the city centre remains much less stressful than in many cities, and for those living in the suburbs, Norfolk’s wonderful countryside and coastline is very accessible.

All of this is particularly exciting for us, as we are returning to the city in 2020, to build family homes in the hugely popular suburb of Taverham.  We will be starting work there in the next few weeks, with the show home opening in the autumn.

All of this means we are certainly not experiencing any signs of the ‘January Blues’.  I hope you’re not either, and that you too are looking forward to a successful 2020.