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Ride Essex was a great ride and one I had been looking forward to since we decided to take part, especially as we were doing it for a good cause which was “Action Medical Research for Children”. They are an amazing charity doing wonderful research to help better our kids medical future, and who better to support than the future leaders of the country.

My ride was very eventful, to say the least! The day started off really well with me having a hearty breakfast in the morning consisting of four slices of toast, three eggs, and a large cup of coffee with a snickers bar to finish.

I arrived on site with my fellow team riders, Michael and Leigh. The car park was already quite full of riders preparing to start their ride. There was a great buzz about the event amongst the riders we spoke to. Bikes were polished, jerseys were bright and colourful and generally, everyone was pumped up for the journey ahead.

We set off at roughly 7 am on the ‘Classic route’ of a 64-mile round trip, with the intention of completing the ride within 4 hours. Unintentionally, within the first few miles, our team had split up I set off at a really good pace, averaging 21 miles per hour over the first 1 hour, using the rider in front of me riding a blue Specialized Tarmac as a guide. Along the way, I really started to pull away from the pack and remember thinking to myself I’m on the way to a personal best time.

During the 2nd hour or so of the ride, I realised I hadn’t seen any of the course markers for a while. I quickly came to realise it wasn’t just the pack of other riders I had pulled away from, I had actually pulled away from the course itself! One slight dip in concentration pulled me 10 miles off course – I was so focused on my exceptional speed I failed to check my surroundings until it was too late. Fortunately, the race directors had provided contact numbers in case of these situations. A quick call to them and I was back on course, however, I was now back at the 11-mile checkpoint despite riding 32 miles. As frustrating as it was, I was determined to finish the race no matter how long it took me or how far I was behind at this point.

The route itself was very scenic and oddly enough, quite therapeutic. The air was so much cleaner than inner London and there were no cars around for miles, making it a very smooth ride. The roads were flat the majority of the time and the hill climbs often gifted a descent afterwards.

All in all, it was great being amongst so many different riders and speaking to them for encouragement. There were people who had travelled across the country just to take part in the event.

After finally finishing the ride I had clocked up a whopping 84 miles, giving me an even bigger sense of achievement. I was shattered but very proud. Raising just under £1500 in total also helped, as did a large McDonald’s meal on the way home.

Mission complete and medal received. I definitely plan on taking part in more riding events in the future.

Matthew Keddo – Truuli Property Expert

• Following two months of falls, average new seller asking prices rose by 0.9% in January 2023. This is the largest rise in prices at this time of year since 2020 and is indicative of sellers testing the market.
• Rightmove are also reporting other signs of positivity in the market, although they acknowledge that it is early days. The week to 16th January 2023 has been the busiest for valuations since August 2022.
• Notably, buyer demand is up by 4% compared to the same period in 2019 and 55% compared to the two weeks before Christmas. This is the biggest new year bounce since 2016.
• Mortgage rates also continue to fall as interest rates soften, with some deals for first-time buyers now below 5%. It is a trend which is expected to continue and should encourage this segment of the market to become more active.Source: Dataloft, Rightmove, MoneySuperMarket

Following on from two months of house asking price falls, we are starting to see a rise in seller asking prices – the largest we have seen since 2020.

Interest rates had hit as high as 6.5% for some borrowers, however, some of the major high street lenders have started to lower their interest rates with many others now following suit. With rates generally sitting below 5% and looking set to remain in the 4-5% range in 2023, this is a much better prospect than levels at the end of 2022.

With the rates starting to fall, we are seeing sellers taking advantage and increasing their asking prices and trying their luck. The lack of supply in the market also appears to be reversing with many agents now reporting higher instruction numbers. This will not only provide more choices for prospective purchasers, but it will also reduce the pressure on prices.

The growing pressure on incomes, alongside the costs of running homes, is also likely to drive movement in the market in 2023. Large amounts of embedded equity in millions of homes may also encourage more downsizing to release equity and cut running costs – further supporting home moves in 2023. 

Leigh Thomas -Truuli Property Expert

Monopoly The game which has brought together and torn apart families and friends for years. A game that taught many of us how to invest, how an investment works, and for some of us the first properties we ever owned! If you are anything like me, then Monopoly will still be a nostalgic part of family life. Many late nights have become early mornings whilst trying to rule Mayfair and Park Lane!  This Life-sized just took the competitive edge to a new level!

On the 21^st of December 2022, the members of team Truuli came together to see who is really the best at one of the best games to ever be invented. Who really knows how to buy a brilliant location like “Saville Row” and who will owe rent on “St Pancras Station”? It is fair to say, this ‘life-sized’ version took the competitive edge to a new level.

Upon entrance, we were greeted by friendly staff, who rather smartly, pointed us to the bar whilst we awaited our time to be briefed before the game started. Whilst the majority of us enjoyed our cocktails and Tequila shots, which warmed us up from the cold weather, one member of the team decided he wanted to stay teetotal in an attempt to gain an edge.

The briefing got us ready and explained the rules which were slightly different to some of the “made up” rules that have developed over the years and focused more on your intelligence and physical side of things. The giant dice, life-size title deed cards, giant pieces (including the battleship and duck!) and bold-coloured signage of the roads brought back so many memories and we all couldn’t help but smile in awe at the setup.

We were split into two teams; “Truuli Towers” and my team, “Truuli the best” – such creative minds we are! The game requires you to work in your teams within your dedicated roles (Team Captain, Banker, Dice roller, Builder and Estate Agent). Each of our dedicated roles had a part to play. Being the lead builder required me to build a 3D puzzle of either a House or a Hotel…it sounds easier than it is, trust me! Each property landed on had a task within a room, similar to Crystal maze, requiring teams to complete together successfully in order to gain ownership over that property.

Both of our teams were pitted against Team Bosna, who was visiting as a family, which meant the crown would surely be heading to either of the Truuli teams. Unfortunately, we quickly learnt that sometimes it really is just about taking part. Well done, Team Bonsa

The actors who managed the evening were true to their characters and delivered an exceptional performance. Enthusiastic, funny, and very engaging. Be sure once the game has finished and seize the opportunity to take pictures and explore the gift shops, which offer a range of novelty gifts and memorabilia. I can say we had a blast and I would recommend anyone who loves the board game to take a trip down ‘Life-Sized Monopoly. It certainly got our seal of approval.

Matthew Keddo – Truuli Property Expert

• Father Christmas keeps reindeer as pets and although not many UK household own reindeer, we are still a nation of animal lovers.
• Nearly two-thirds (62%) of UK households now own a pet, up from just 41% two years ago, ‘pets’ is a top 5 search term for renters.
• More than 1 in 3 households (34%) own a dog, while 28% of households own a cat. Indoor birds, rabbits and hamsters make up the top 5 most popular pets.
• 50% of renters think being pet friendly is an important requirement in a property, with more than 1 in 4 liable to rent for longer if they were allowed to keep a pet. Source: Dataloft, Statista, Rightmove, Property Academy Renter Survey, 2022, HomeLet Renter Survey, 2022

Pets have always been the go-to companions for many people in the UK. They can help to combat loneliness and, in some cases, help with people’s mental health. According to dataloft figures, 1 in 3 households owns a dog, and just under 1 in 3 owns cats with indoor birds, rabbits and hamsters making up the top five most popular pets.

As someone who is an avid fitness fanatic, when I am out in my local park jogging I tend to see the same faces out exercising with their pets and large groups are meeting up regularly, along with their dogs, to socialise. I call them the doggy daters as it’s their regular meet-up, and the dogs all play with each other whilst their owners make small talk. 

According to dataloft there has been a 20% increase in owners of pets in the last two years, with pets being a top 5 search item on the internet. Understandably, the most suited properties for dog and cat owners are properties with gardens, however, this doesn’t limit to just freehold houses – flats with communal gardens still provide homeowners with somewhere for their pets to go outside and stretch their legs. If buyers cannot get a property with a garden due to finances, then being close to local parks will also benefit them for the reasons mentioned above. 

Leigh Thomas – Truuli Property Expert