Country house sales and prices are booming, but not on the portals

The country homes market is booming and some houses selling for up to 20% above their asking price while half the houses are being bought and sold off-market, it has been claimed. One leading property search company says the revival is in part due to many vendors going ‘off market’ to avoid their luxe homes languishing on the portals, and facing the prospect of public price reductions. For example, one nine bedroom house for sale in the depths of commuter belt Surrey at £15.5 million has already been reduced by 6.5% since being listed eight weeks ago. “The decision to leave the European Union, and changes to stamp duty have undoubtedly had an impact on the property market, and on the surface, it looks as though activity has slowed down entirely,” says Jess Simpson (pictured, left), who runs Jess Simpson Search. She claims half of the homes her company buys on behalf of clients are now ‘off-market’. “But this isn’t the full picture, the country house market is strong.” She says that increasing numbers of country house buyers and sellers now want to avoid the digital footprint of a property portal listing. Both Zoopla and Rightmove keep on publishing homes…