What’s not to like about a ‘mini-boom’?

After years of back-to-back stumbling blocks, it’s good to have the property market moving at a steady pace again.

Brexit and the general election were bad enough, then, just when things seemed to be looking up, the market was hit hard by the pandemic.

But lately the news is good. The loosening of lockdown restrictions allowed things to get moving again, and Rishi Sunak’s stamp duty holiday has given ditherers the push they needed to move sooner rather than later.

Local agents are optimistic about the way things are looking, and the stats back them up.

Richard Burton spoke to a trio of St Albans and Harpenden-based agents for this week’s feature and came away with a positive impression of the way things stand.

The word on the street is similarly encouraging: several St Albans people who’ve been thinking about moving in a year or so have told me they’re now bringing their plans forward to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday.

But more homes on the market means more competition, so sellers are having to work harder to get noticed.

It’s at times like this when a unique selling point comes in handy, and in the case of this week’s property spotlight that’s a huge home gym.

This 30ft x 12ft space has been kitted out with all the fitness fanatic essentials, located in a handy outbuilding to save other family members enduring all the inevitable huffing and puffing.

Its power, heating and air conditioning would serve it just as well as a home office or workshop, however – ideal for the ever-increasing work-from-home market.

All up, I think we’re right to be hopeful at present – though whether we’ll be feeling as optimistic on April 1, when the stamp duty holiday’s over, remains to be seen.