If you read all the newspapers, the Brexit debate seems to be focused solely on central London. Many commentators have said Brexit would mean central London would have a lower standing in the world, meaning less people would be employed in Central London, with the implication of lower wages, fewer jobs etc., in Central London.  But we are in Locks Heath, not Marylebone, Mayfair or any part of Zone 1 London.

We are in Locks Heath and central London is 82 miles away, and whilst the central London property market exploded after 2009, that explosion really and honestly didn’t affect the Locks Heath property market. So, putting central London aside, what would an ‘in’ or ‘out’ vote really mean for the 13,800 property owners of Locks Heath and Fareham?

Initially, over the coming months, on the run up to referendum, I believe it will be like the run up to last year’s General Election. With the short-term uncertainty in the country, quite often, big decisions are put on ice and people are less likely to make big money purchases i.e. buy a property. However, in the four months up to last year’s Election, property values in Locks Heath increased by 1.73%, not bad for a country that thought it would get a hung parliament! So that argument doesn’t hold much weight with me.

Post vote, should the UK opt to leave Brussels, there would be a much more noteworthy impact. I believe that a vote to stay in the EU would see the Locks Heath property market return to a status quo very quickly, but the contrasting result could lead to some changes. The principal menace to the Locks Heath (and UK) housing market could be variation (in an upwards direction) in interest rates as a result of a Brexit, which could theoretically see the cost of mortgages grow swiftly, pricing many out of the market … but then two thirds of landlords buy without a mortgage, so that won’t affect them.

So in reality, if I really knew what will happen, I would be a City Whiz Kid in London earning millions, not a Letting Agent in Locks Heath. However, I suspect whatever decision the electorate of Locks Heath and the country as a whole makes, over the long term it won’t have a major effect on the Locks Heath property market. We have seen off ‘the end of the world’ credit crunch of 2008/9 and subsequent property crash, the 1988 Nigel Lawson induced post dual-MIRAS property crash, the 1979 Winter of Discontent property crash, the 1974 oil crisis that stimulated another property crash. We can even go back nearly a century with the 1926 post General Strike slump in property prices.

Today, property prices are 236.62% higher than 21 years ago in Locks Heath and are 7.7% higher than 12 months ago. So, make your own decision on 23^rd of June 2016 safe in knowledge that whatever the result, there might be some short term volatility in the Locks Heath property market, but in the long term (and property investment is a long term strategy) there aren’t enough houses in Locks Heath to live in either to buy or rent. And until the Government allow more properties to be built, the Locks Heath property market will be just fine. Even if it has a little blip in the summer, there could be some property bargains on the run up to Christmas to be had!

For more advice and opinion on the Locks Heath property market, even where those buy to let bargains could be found now visit the Locks Heath Property Blog HERE.