My South Wales Property Blog

How to Price Your Home in South Wales: Getting It Right the First Time

23rd July 2026

TL;DR — Mark’s Quick Take The asking price is the single most important decision you will make in your sale. Get it right and you create competition; get it wrong and you lose both time and money. Price to your nearest sold comparables from the last three to six months, not to an old peak, […]

Sell Now or Wait for Autumn? A South Wales Timing Guide for Late 2026

21st July 2026

TL;DR — Mark’s Quick Take The classic advice is to wait for the September bounce, when buyers return from holidays and families try to move before settling into the school year. There is real truth in it. But autumn is not automatically better for every seller. More buyers come back, but so do more sellers, […]

How to Prepare Your South Wales Home for Sale

18th July 2026

TL;DR — Mark’s Quick Take The work you do before the photographs are taken matters more than almost anything else. First impressions are made online now, not on the doorstep. Focus your money and effort where buyers actually look: the front of the house, the kitchen, the bathroom, and light. Skip the expensive extension you […]

Why The South Wales Property Market Is Moving Differently to England in 2026

15th July 2026

TL;DR — Mark’s Quick Take For a while Wales was clearly outgrowing England. That gap has narrowed: Welsh prices are now up around 3.5% over the year, just behind the UK’s 3.8%. But the headline hides what matters. Wales is not one market, and parts of South Wales like Newport and Caerphilly are strongly outperforming, […]

What July 2026 Means for South Wales Buyers and Sellers

15th July 2026

TL;DR — Mark’s Quick Take The Bank of England held the base rate at 3.75% in June, but the vote was 7-2 with two members wanting a rise, not a cut. The next decision is on 30 July. Inflation has eased to 2.8%, and mortgage rates have actually been falling, with lenders competing hard. The […]

Summer 2026 Market Check-In: What South Wales Sellers and Buyers Need to Know

14th July 2026

TL;DR — Mark’s Quick Take The market has slowed for summer, as it usually does, and this year the slowdown came early. Nationally, June saw the biggest drop in asking prices for that month in fourteen years. But under the surface South Wales is holding up reasonably. Welsh prices are up around 3.5% over the […]

Which Types of Property Are Selling Quickest Right Now in South Wales?

24th November 2025

In South Wales this November, the quickest house sales are happening in well-presented three-bed family homes, tidy rental-ready terraces, and modern properties needing little work. Buyers are favouring homes that are realistic on price, energy efficient, and ready to move into. Projects are still selling too, but only when the numbers make sense. If you’re […]

Top Auction Mistakes Sellers Should Avoid (South Wales, 2025)

20th November 2025

We’re now deep into the final auction cycle of the year, and I’m seeing sellers in South Wales either doing brilliantly or missing out completely. Right now, success depends on realistic reserves, full legal packs, and strong presentation. If you’re planning to sell before Christmas or early in the new year, make sure you’re prepared. […]

How House Sellers Are Successfully Speeding Up Their Sales in South Wales

25th October 2025

One of the biggest frustrations I hear from homeowners in South Wales is how long it can take to sell a property. With the average sale taking more than six months from listing to completion, it is natural to ask, “What can I do to speed things up and sell my house fast?” The good […]

How Property Auction Reserve Prices Are Being Set in This Market (South Wales)

16th October 2025

I regularly talk to auctioneers, estate agents, and house buyers in South Wales, and one part of the auction process that people often don’t fully understand is how the reserve price gets agreed. It’s a key number. Set it too high, and you scare off bidders. Set it too low, and you risk underselling. Here’s […]

Tips from Auction Prep – How to Maximise Attention

14th October 2025

I often see sellers in South Wales putting their property into auction and then wondering why it doesn’t attract enough attention.  With competition from estate agents, private treaties, and other auction properties, you need to make your lot stand out.  These are the things I’m advising sellers to do right now, in mid-September 2025, to […]

Are South Wales House Prices Likely to Rise or Fall This Month?

05th September 2025

The big question on everyone’s lips right now is: “Mark, did house prices rise or fall in South Wales in August? And what might happen this September?” So I’ve pulled the data, and here’s what it tells us. How Prices Performed in August (Looking Back at Q2) So looking back, August likely continued the trend […]

Common Mistakes I’m Seeing Sellers Make Right Now in South Wales

03rd September 2025

Over the past few months, I’ve been speaking to dozens of homeowners across South Wales, from Cardiff to the Valleys and through to Newport and Bridgend. One thing that stands out is the number of avoidable mistakes sellers are making in today’s market. These mistakes don’t just cost time; they can knock thousands of pounds […]

This Month’s Top Buyer Question (and How I Answered It)

01st September 2025

Every month, I speak to dozens of buyers and sellers across South Wales. One question kept coming up recently, so I thought I would share it here along with my answer. The question was simple: “Mark, is now a good time to buy a house in South Wales, or should I wait until interest rates […]

How Long Is It Currently Taking to Sell a Home in South Wales?

26th August 2025

One of the most common questions I hear is: “How long is it actually taking to sell a home in South Wales right now?” The truth is, the process is taking longer than many sellers expect — and it’s important to go in with your eyes open. What the Market Data Shows At the moment, […]

Should You Sell Your House at Auction in This Market (South Wales)?

21st August 2025

I get asked this question a lot – “Mark, should I sell my house at auction right now?” The truth is, it depends on your situation, your property, and how quickly you need to sell. I’ve been buying and selling property in South Wales for over 20 years, and I’ve seen the auction market go […]

South Wales Residential Market Update – March 2024

27th March 2024

In our latest market update, we delve into the current state of the residential property market across South Wales. From owner-occupier trends to property investor behaviours, here’s what’s happening in our region. The Owner-Occupier Market There’s a strong presence of first-time buyers and owner-occupiers, particularly in the more affordable segments of the market. Modernised or […]

Mid-March 2024 Mortgage Market Update

25th March 2024

In recent months, lending rates have been trending downward.  However, over the last few weeks, this trend has slowed and even stalled in some cases. Surprisingly, some lenders increased rates over the previous week to ten days despite the general market consensus and expectations for both inflation easing and the likelihood of a general election […]

What is the average cost of a house renovation in South Wales?

02nd January 2023

Working out the average cost of a new home in South Wales is easy. You just hop on your favourite sales platform and ask it to do the calculation for you. However, figuring out how much a house renovation is going to cost is a little more challenging. Sale prices don’t tell you a great […]

Avoiding stamp duty: loopholes exposed

02nd January 2023

There are various loopholes, and systems homeowners are using to either avoid paying stamp duty or reduce how much they owe. While you won’t necessarily be able to get out of paying stamp duty (and you shouldn’t, as this is against the law!), there are some loopholes which may help you reduce how much you […]

Types of Property Fraud; All You Need to Know

21st December 2022

Fraud is a big issue when it comes to the property market, and with current advancements in technology, it’s becoming increasingly more common. As a result, property fraud is one of the leading deterrents for potential house buyers in Swansea, Cardiff and the surrounding areas of South Wales, UK. Read on to understand what property […]

Property Auction Sales Collapse

10th December 2022

Auctioneers are getting far lower sales in recent months many local auctions are showing over 50% of lots withdrawn and unsold (at the time of writing December 2022). Auctioneers we are speaking to are now refusing to list properties unless they have very low reserve prices – making it difficult to achieve the higher bids […]

Estate Agency Sales: Lowest Since Pandemic 

05th December 2022

Property sales falling through due to broken chains and funding issues for buyers means that the property market is seeing a downturn in supply and demand of properties. According to Estate Agents up and down the country, homebuyer enquiries fell in August and September – the steepest since the pandemic. This makes it the fourth […]

How to Avoid Selling Your House to Pay for Care

05th December 2022

If you are facing a big care bill, you may be wondering if you need to sell your home. Family members might have encouraged you to move into care, but now you are struggling to pay for it. Today’s care costs are extremely high and continue to rise. This issue is something that is particularly […]

Types of damp and how damp can affect a house sale

01st December 2022

Selling a house with damp can have a host of adverse effects, including lowering the sale price 50 per cent or more! Buyers hate the idea of spending a lot of money on a new home, only to discover that it’s riddled with allergy- and asthma-causing mould spores. Mould or mildew around windows and doors, […]