What a difference a year makes
THERE’S no question that it’s been a year like no other in the UK country-house market. An exuberant Lindsay Cuthill of Savills sums it up neatly, when he declares, ‘in terms of overall sales, 2021 has beaten 2007 into a cocked hat’. That’s not merely estate agents’ hype—Mr Cuthill backs up his statement with some solid facts and figures.
Based on Land Registry records for the first 48 weeks of 2021, compared with the same period of 2019, Savills Research identifies the top 10 local authorities in England that have seen sales of at least 40 properties valued at more than £2 million. Given that there are 333 local authorities in England and that London and other metropolitan areas are not included in the survey, the results are fascinating.
With 79 properties sold in 2021 compared with 21 in 2019, Wychavon, West Midlands, led the way with values of more than £2m; South Oxfordshire had 74 sales (24
