Surrey and south west London offers those lucky enough to call it home the perfect combination of unspoilt countryside, a thriving community spirit, excellent transport links and good schools. The appeal of living here is not lost on many and is also the reason why despite commentary in the national press, the health of the property market in these areas continues to fare well.

There is growing evidence that house prices are stabilising, but getting a sale agreed when going to the market will depend entirely on good advice and accurate pricing.

This is not the market in which to go house hunting before you sell. Get the sale of your home underway with a local High Street estate agent who knows the market, before starting your onward search.

What we do expect to remain constant throughout the rest of the year is an underlying market that is fundamentally sound, so when sellers are realistic and take good advice from a knowledgeable estate agent, sales will continue to be agreed; supported by the extremely low cancellation rates we are currently experiencing.

If you need a mortgage to finance your next property purchase, borrowing has never been more affordable. Consider going to your upper limit and don’t simply rely on going back to your current lender.

We recommend you visit an independent mortgage broker who will have access to better rates than you might typically find on the High Street. Curchods Mortgage Services can provide whole of market mortgage advice to research, prepare and submit your first mortgage application.

Purchasers looking to buy a property in Surrey or south west London should take the view that despite peaks and troughs in the housing market, buying a property in the long term has always proved to be a good investment.