Our Chairman, Nick Leeming, reveals why a dense population and abundance of chimneys make the ideal homes for Santa’s deliveries:
To get you in the festive spirit, our latest research has found that homes in Hull are the most ‘Santa-friendly’. With chimney and fireplace infrastructure crucial for Father Christmas to enter a home easily, and densely populated areas allowing for Saint Nick to fly him and his reindeers between properties with ease and deliver more gifts, more quickly – it’s a case of the Goldilocks effect in practice. The perfect areas for Kris Kringle are somewhere in the middle – they have to be just right and Hull hits the sweet-spot.
The Manor House is Santa-ready, with a fireplace situated in the large living room, and a sturdy slate and tile hip roof. Call our Northampton branch on 01604 632991 for more information.
We analysed 150 local authorities across England, examining the dual factors of population density and the prevalence of fireplaces and chimneys, to reveal a country-wide ranking of local authorities that allow Santa to deliver his gifts. Hastings and Stoke-on-Trent also made it into the top three, thanks to their prevalence of period properties with chimneys, corresponding fireplaces and reasonably dense populations.
On the other end of the spectrum however, Three Rivers, Bracknell Forest, and Surrey Heath are the worst areas for Santa Clause to deliver, as they are sparsely populated and the homes situated here tend to lack chimneys and fireplaces. There are no London Boroughs in the top 10. Although homes in the Capital are densely populated, the prevalence of apartments, which naturally do not have chimneys, reduces their Santa-friendly nature.
Christmas 2017 will indeed be particularly tricky for Santa making deliveries. The completion of 183,570 new homes across 2016/2017 is good news for prospective homeowners, but Father Christmas will not doubt have noticed the lack of chimneys associated with these homes – meaning his access options are limited.
If you want to attract more than just Santa this Christmas, the winter season can be a really good time to draw in a select group of serious buyers, as many are looking to proceed quickly in order to be in their next home as close to the start of the year as possible. To get winter buyers through your door, remember the importance of accurate pricing, photography and first impressions to make your home the most welcoming and sellable it can be. New year, new start rings true in winter!
