Off To A Flyer!!!

If you’re a regular reader of the Cole-Face, you’ll know that I try not to make this column just an advertorial purely for Imagine, instead I try to tell it as it is; warts and all, ups and downs, highs and lows. However with a New Year upon us combined with my enthusiasm to start things off on a positive footing, I hope you’ll forgive me for focusing on an especially sexy January here at Imagine.

Despite the fact we weren't actually open, we still agreed TWO NEW SALES on New Year’s Day!! Apart from the obvious pleasure in agreeing the deals, this highlighted a couple of other note worthy points.

Firstly, both sales were to First Time Buyers. Have we reached a point where prices and mortgage rates are down to a level that First Time Buyers are starting to get active again? If so, the ripples will filter through to the rest and things will quickly start to look up. Admittedly these buyers still need a fairly significant deposit, but it is definitely true that more First Time Buyers were registering towards the end of last year than had been the case for some time.

Secondly, the sales were supported by the wonder of technology. I'm not a computer expert but if I tell you that I dealt with the four clients involved in these sales by accessing all the information I needed via my mobile, you’re bound to be a little impressed! Imagine are technically set up in such a way that all our property and client information is accessible, password protected, via a mobile from anywhere in the world.  My staff immediately saw the opportunity to suggest we worked from various beaches around the globe rather than return to the office!

Anyway, maybe January 1st was a fluke but I'm buggered if I'm starting the year in that frame of mind! I can accept the job situation for many is a worry but if you’re employed with some sort of security (which while they highlight 8% unemployment, it means that 92% are employed!), then things are positive. House prices are smashed, fuel prices have fallen like a stone, interest rates have never been lower on mortgages / loans and supermarkets continue to have price wars. No wonder I seemed to spend half the festive break queuing in shopping centres.

Yes, I’m daring to suggest that this apparent recession isn't biting as deep as journalists would have us believe!!!