Harlow property market Dec 2024 up or down?
Jukes Estate Agents take their regular monthly look at the Harlow property market. Using data from property experts The Advisory (https://www.theadvisory.co.uk/), they look at the the four postcode sectors CM17, CM18, CM19 & CM20. The method is simply. They divide the amount of properties on the market by the amount of properties sold. This gives a percentage that they choose to call degrees. Therefore, we can see if the market is cooling down or heating up.
Harlow property market in December.
December 2024 has seen all four sectors heat up.
On the face of it, that is good. However, the facts are that less property has come to market so far in December as many Harlow Estate Agents buy into the ludicrous ‘Boxing Day Bounce’.
WHAT IS THE BOXING DAY BOUNCE?
December 26th (Boxing Day) sees Rightmove list more properties than any other day of the year. Certainly this gets a lot of views. However, with no Estate Agents open on Boxing Day there is little or no point in holding back on listing your property on 26th December. There is evidence that you will do better listing a week before or after Christmas than following the sheep that list on Boxing Day.
CM17
CM17 rose in the last month to 49 degrees. In other words, 49% of property listed sold. Data sourced from The Advisory (https://www.theadvisory.co.uk/).
When CM17 is analysed we can see the following results since January 2024:
Jan 43%. Feb 39%. Mar 40%. Apr 45%. May 45%. Jun 47%. Jul 49%. Aug 49%. Sept 45%. Oct 46%. Nov 47%. Dec 49%.
The last month saw CM17 rise by 2 degrees (2%) again. This means CM17 is at the highest level it has been this year (along with July 49%).
Considering that back in February is was at 39%, the improvement has been very good.
CM18
CM18 is back up to 63 degrees.
Lets look at 2024:
Jan 57%. Feb 55%. Mar 62%. Apr 63%. May 61%. Jun 58%. Jul 62%. Aug 61%. Sept 59%. Oct 55%. Nov 58%. Dec 63%.
CM18 is now back at it’s highest level of 2024 along with April where it was also 63 degrees.
CM19
Harlow property market Dec 2024 up or down?
CM19 has risen to 58 degrees (%). This is the highest level of 2024, beating the 56 degrees of August & October. One wonders how much higher it can go in 2025.
Jan 45%. Feb 45%. Mar 52%. Apr 51%. May 47%. Jun 51%. Jul 54%. Aug 56%. Sept 55%. Oct 56%. Nov 56%. Dec 58%.
CM20
CM20 also hits a new 2024 high with 62 degrees (%). The previous 2024 best was 61 in July.
Jan 51%. Feb 49%. Mar 55%. Apr 56%. May 56%. Jun 60%. Jul 61%. Aug 59%. Sept 55%. Oct 59%. Nov 61%. Dec 62%.
I predicted this 1% increase last month which I am delighted to have got right.
CONCLUSION
It’s been a record breaking month in Harlow with CM20 & CM19 setting new monthly highs. The has been backed up with CM18 & CM17 both hitting joint highs.
Ok, there are less properties on the market this month BUT, sales are also supposed to be slower in December. Therefore. all in all it’s been a great month for the Harlow property market.
My one concern is the rush for first time buyers to buy & be able to complete in time (Mar 31st) to beat the stamp duty increase. Therefore, caution is needed. Only time will tell.