List of seven areas in ‘huge demand’ that first time buyers are ‘fighting over’

Certain areas of Merseyside are seeing huge demand from first time buyers while houses in other areas are selling for below the asking price. The property market appears to be stabilising with falling interest rates.

Gemma Flannagan, 34, along with her sister Leah Harris are from Bootle and an run independent estate agents together. Gemma claims rental properties in the city centre are being snapped up quickly.

She told the ECHO: “City centre flats and apartments are still popular, however more so with investors looking to purchase a Buy to Let property or serviced accommodation property. The rental demand for city centre flats/apartments is still high and even with increasing rental prices we find that most aren’t empty for long.”

However, when asked if there are certain places that first time buyers are "fighting over", Gemma cited several suburban areas in Liverpool and Sefton.

She said: “We have found that the most requested areas that we get asked for properties for, particularly from first time buyers are Crosby, Waterloo, Bootle, Fazakerley, Aintree, West Derby and Aigburth.

“We often find that there is high demand for properties in these areas and usually with an affordable price tag. So if you spot a property you like the look of, go ahead and book a viewing!”

By contrast, earlier this week, Owen Diamond from Reed Rains Liverpool argued L8, which covers Toxteth, Dingle and the edges of the city centre, and L15, which covers Wavertree, are proving most popular with first time buyers in his experience.

Owen said: “At the moment, L8 is quite popular. Down there you've got the bread streets. You've got good transport links. Brunswick Station is close by. You live close enough to the water. You’re not on it but you still get good views.

“L15 is a really good one at the moment too. Because of where it is, it’s very close to Sefton Park, it’s very close to Smithdown Road which takes you all the way down to Penny Lane. It’s good to be close to Queens Drive because that’s kind of a ring road around Liverpool.

Gemma added that most properties in Liverpool are sold for close to the asking price but certain areas can see them go for lower. She said: “Due to the affordable housing market in Liverpool, we find that if valued appropriately most properties do go for close to the asking price.

“However, we have seen some areas such as Anfield, Everton, Kirkdale and Kensington properties can sell for below the asking price. We believe that this is due to a saturation of properties on the market in this area and also the condition of some of the properties in these locations.”

Gemma also shared her and Leah’s “top tips” for first time buyers to ensure the buying process “goes as smoothly as possible”. She said: “Secure a mortgage agreement in principle to understand your budget and show sellers you're serious. Consider getting advice from a mortgage advisor as they will be able to help you get the best mortgage deals.

“Save for a deposit. Aim to save at least five to 20% of the property price for your deposit. The more you save, the better mortgage rates you can access. Consider getting advice from a mortgage advisor as they will be able to help you get the best mortgage deals

“Remember to budget for additional costs like stamp duty, solicitor fees, surveys, and moving expenses, these are often things buyers forget and can come as a nasty surprise if you aren’t expecting these costs.

“Don’t rush. View several properties in different areas to get a feel for what you like and what fits your budget. Do your own research, see what has sold, hasn’t sold, and for what kind of prices so that you can understand the going market rate in this location.

“Explore the area to ensure it meets your lifestyle needs, including schools, transport links, and amenities. We always recommend visiting at busy times such as evenings and weekends to see if it suits your needs.

“It’s good to negotiate but only at the right times. Have a look and see how long the property has been on this market as this would determine whether it would be a good idea to negotiate or not.

“For example, if it’s in a popular location, great property and it’s only been on a week it’s unlikely that the vendor will be looking for a negotiation at this point.”