Words from Jonnie

WORLD

TV presenter and property expert Jonnie Irwin gives his thoughts and views on first time buyers and the housing market

I don’t trust people who claim they love autumn. Sure, the colours of the trees are wonderful, but for me the season represents the end of long days, warm(ish) weather and being outside – the foreboding prospect of an all too soon to be reckoned with cold of winter. I hate the cold. Perhaps a reason for this is down to me having a rather annoying complaint called Reynaud’s disease, which means I feel the cold acutely – I even get numb fingers in the gym on the rowing machine! Externally, I have the appearance of a bit of a wimp. I remember my dad being incredulous about the amount of layers I’d wear working alongside him on the farm when growing up, and playing rugby through the winter meant I was keen to be involved in as much action as possible – just to keep warm!

It’s probably this that fuels my dislike of winter, which is also compounded by the location in which I now live – Newcastle ain’t the warmest!

I suspect when people start extolling the virtues of autumn they just like the aesthetic that the season brings; working on Escape to the Country at this time of year is a real treat, with the autumnal hues of golden yellows and rusty reds across the countryside, shown in some of the areas we film, at their very best.

Worse still are those who claim they love winter. These odd specimens are to be avoided at all costs. Their love of the cold, dark season is normally accompanied by some mindless drivel that it gives them the opportunity to “wrap up all cosy”. They’re probably the same sort of people who claim they don’t actually watch television or, worse still, gleefully inform you that they don’t even have a TV in their house. I don’t believe a word of it – they’re probably binge-watching Squid Game on a tablet as you are reading this. There is, however, an advantage of colder, more inclement weather, and that’s the fact we get to see our potential new homes without the rose-tinted lenses of warm sunny days. Estate agents can’t rely on a garden to sell a property and are less likely to open up the house and leave patio doors wide open to give an impression of space. In the cold months, when selling a house, they’re more likely to focus on a property’s ability to be a warm and welcoming home. It’s a lot harder to sell a home in the winter – the properties, their gardens and communal outside areas just don’t have the same appeal as they did in bloom and bathed in sunshine – and that’s to a buyer’s advantage. At viewings, expect the heating to be on with the radiators “bouncing” as my plumber calls it. With increasing energy costs and the likelihood of heating bills getting higher and higher over the foreseeable future, it’s worth taking note of the EPC, and as you walk around, make a note of how the heating is performing. When you arrive, take your coat off as soon as you can! Hopefully you won’t be wearing it inside when you live there, so you can get a proper feel for the place. After a couple of false starts, I’m currently going through the conveyancing process of a home I’m purchasing and want to survey the property myself – being an ex-surveyor (and a control freak) I still want to give the place a detailed once-over myself – something I’d encourage everyone to do. After your initial viewing, the next visit will be far less emotionally charged and hopefully more practical. You don’t have to be an expert to spot a water ingress or even damp patches. If an owner or developer won’t let you have another viewing once solicitors are instructed, that would raise questions with me. Having another look at the property myself, at a time of my choosing, is a huge advantage. I admit I’m at risk of sounding like one of those “I love winter” oddballs, but as I’ve said before, a day with heavy rain, or better still, the day after, is a great time to see a property (at its potential worst). If there are weather-related issues it’s not the end of the world, but you’d rather it was sorted before you buy and therefore becomes your issue – especially in your first home. With many of us now going back to places of work in offices, at least for a couple of days a week, the shorter days will also give you a better sense of how safe and comfortable you will feel on your commute – let’s face it, if you work standard hours you’ll at least be coming home in the dark. So, there you have it, the autumn and winter are good seasons after all, well to look at property at least. Right, I’m off to the shops to buy some thermals…