Alex Howard Jones - Caversham Estate Agent

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Alex Howard Jones - Caversham Estate Agent

I'm Alex - a Caversham born and bred independent estate agent! 15 years of Caversham property experience. Talk to me about any property need!

05/11/2026

OFF-MARKET IN CAVERSHAM HEIGHTS 🗝️

Are you looking? Or do you know someone who is?

I have TWO rather special property opportunities in the heart of Caversham Heights that you won't currently find on Rightmove!

🏡 £1,400,000 | An impressive, seven bedroom detached family home in an exclusive development, with a beautiful glass-filled kitchen extension overlooking the garden. No onward chain, and an opportunity to view ahead of its public launch.

🏡 £1,300,000 | A stunning five/six-bedroom semi-detached family home, beautifully updated and finished to an exceptionally high specification throughout. This one is exclusively off-market.

No photographs, no public listings, just the opportunity for serious, proceedable buyers to have a private introduction.

One of the things I love most about my job is connecting people with properties they might never otherwise discover. Through my local relationships and the wider international Keller Williams network, I'm fortunate to have access to opportunities that don't always make it onto the property portals.

Sometimes it's not just about what you know. It's about who you know. 😉

If either property has caught your attention, or you know someone who might be interested, drop me a DM. I'd love to have a conversation and explore whether a private viewing might be appropriate.

And if you're not looking right now? Stick around. You never know what might come my way next!

Alex x

05/11/2026

A little update on interest rates, Trump and what it all means for our property market.

The Bank of England has increased the base rate to 4%, largely as expected. Mortgage lenders have already been increasing their rates in anticipation, so today's announcement shouldn't come as a huge surprise.

Markets are also currently suggesting around a 50% chance of another increase in December. It's far from certain, but we may not have reached the peak just yet.

What does this mean for your mortgage?

If you're buying, speak to a mortgage broker early. Lenders often adjust rates ahead of Bank of England decisions, so understanding your options now could make a difference.

If you're on a fixed rate, your payments won't change until your deal ends. If you're approaching a remortgage, it's worth exploring your options sooner rather than later. Tracker mortgage holders could see payments rise again.

What I'm watching particularly closely, though, is what's happening across the Atlantic.

Following the US midterm elections, Trump's administration faces greater political checks on its policies. Financial markets have initially responded positively, while oil prices have fallen amid hopes of easing geopolitical tensions.

Why does this matter to us in Caversham? Because global energy prices, inflation and financial market confidence all influence borrowing costs here in the UK.

There are still plenty of unknowns, but reasons for cautious optimism too. If energy prices continue to fall, that could help ease inflation and eventually take some pressure off interest rates.

My advice? Don't make big property decisions based on one day's headlines. People still need to move, and sensible pricing, good financial advice and understanding your options matter more than ever.

The property market hasn't stopped. It's simply one where being informed and having a good strategy really counts.

I'll be keeping a close eye on what happens next!

28/10/2026

THE BUDGET IS IN! 🏡

So, what actually happened to the housing market proposals we discussed this morning?

We've got £4.7bn for the new first-time buyer scheme, an additional £1.5bn for affordable housing and a further tax increase for landlords.

But no major Stamp Duty reform to help existing homeowners move.

My question remains: are we doing enough to help people move through the housing market, rather than simply onto the ladder?

28/10/2026

It's Budget Day! 🏡💷

Plenty of talk about building more homes, helping first-time buyers and changing property taxes. But will any of it actually get the housing market moving?

I've shared what's being proposed, along with a few of my own thoughts (and I definitely have some! 👀).

For me, it's not just about building more homes. It's about making it easier for people to move between the ones we already have.

Let's see what today brings!

What would you like to see announced? 👇

18/10/2026

Sometimes the best family home is the one you get to create yourself! 🏡

And I think this home is a brilliant opportunity to do just that.

It's got the space, the character, a gorgeous south-facing garden and SO much potential to make it your own.

🏡 Four good-sized bedrooms
🔥 Original fireplaces and lovely high ceilings
🔨 Fantastic potential to extend (STPP)
☀️ Private, south-facing garden
🚗 Driveway parking
🔑 No onward chain

After more than 40 years in the same ownership, it's time for someone new to make their mark.

I'd love to show you around!

📲 Drop me a message to arrange a viewing.

17/10/2026

Sorry about the ‘Millennial Pause’ but unapologetically Millennial!

Come with me on my open house Saturday at Woodford Close! And if you fancy a viewing, DM me!

14/10/2026

Ten years ago, I’d have called this a failed valuation. Today? I call it doing my job properly.

Estate agents don’t always have the best reputation, and frankly, sometimes I can understand why!

But I believe there’s a better way to do things. One where the client comes before the commission, and the best advice isn’t always the advice that wins you the instruction.

It’s why I built my business around one simple promise: “Advice I’d give my mum.” ❤️

I’ve written a little more about this, and what really happens when I walk through your front door, in my latest Substack.

☕ Have a read here:
https://alexhjrealestate.substack.com/p/ten-years-ago-id-have-called-this

07/10/2026

Ask your estate agent what they’ve learned this month that will make a difference to YOUR move.

Yesterday I spent four hours at the Keller Williams Oxygen market centre with 13 other agents and Simon Gates. The session was absolutely jam-packed with gold from Simon, alongside some brilliant idea sharing between agents. Four hours flew by. We laughed, shared experiences, challenged each other and talked about what great estate agency should actually look like in 2026.

Why should you care if you’re my client? Because estate agency is changing FAST.

The way buyers search for property is changing. AI is changing how and where properties are found. Marketing methods that worked ten years ago, or even two years ago, aren’t necessarily enough today. If your agent isn’t keeping up, you could be losing visibility, losing time and potentially leaving money on the table.

People sometimes ask me about my relationship with Keller Williams, so this is probably a good example of why I chose to be part of a brokerage.

I own my own business. My clients deal directly with me, not my brokerage. You get a genuinely personal, one-to-one service and I remain accountable for your move from beginning to end. However, being a personal agent doesn’t mean being an isolated agent.

Behind me is Keller Williams Oxygen: cutting-edge training and technology, global reach and a close-knit community of agents who support each other and openly share ideas, experiences and what’s actually working in their markets. I can take the best bits from what other brilliant agents are learning and apply them to my own business and my own clients.

That matters.

Simon Gates is known as a bit of a data geek (said with enormous affection 😂), but every time I’m in a room with him I get an enormous download of gold. Behind all that knowledge is someone on a relentless personal productivity mission, and it always reminds me to keep pushing too. I never leave one of his sessions without ideas and a plan of action.

This time, I left with two big areas I want to finesse further: how I market my clients’ homes for the way buyers are searching NOW, particularly as AI continues to change that landscape, and the entire customer journey.

I want more unreasonable hospitality. More surprise and delight. More of the useful stuff that simply makes moving easier. Because my clients, and their big move, should feel as special as they are.

Huge thanks to Keller Williams Oxygen for bringing Simon into the room, to Simon for sharing so much of his knowledge with us, and to the brilliant group of agents I got to spend those four hours learning alongside.

The most educated agent brings more wins for their client.

So perhaps when you’re choosing who you trust with your home, the question isn’t just, “How will you market my property?”

Ask them this too:

“What have you learned recently that will make a difference to my move?” 🖤

06/10/2026

COMING SOON | CAVERSHAM HEIGHTS | £750,000

A detached home with serious flexibility, including space for multigenerational living AND a fantastic two-room garden outbuilding for anyone working or running a business from home.*

🏡 3/4 bedrooms
🌳 Approx. 100ft south-facing garden
💻 Insulated two-room garden outbuilding
🚿 Ground-floor shower room & bedroom
🚗 Huge garage + parking for multiple cars
💰 Guide Price £750,000
🔑 No onward chain

DM me to arrange a viewing.

*Business use subject to any necessary consents.

05/10/2026

It was the handful of screws that did it… 😂

I arrived at my sellers’ six-bedroom Caversham home just before midday on completion day. They’d lived there for 24 years and raised their family there. I’d pictured an empty house, a calm goodbye, ch*****ne and flowers and a last look around before closing the door on one chapter.

Instead, I pulled up to some suspiciously small white vans.

Inside, furniture was still being dismantled, boxes were being packed and belongings were being thrown into bags. Then one of the removal men approached my already stressed seller holding a handful of loose screws.

“These are for your cabinet. You’ll need them the other side.”

Oh God.

There was another slight problem…

My buyer was on her way to the airport to collect her husband from an international flight. It was his 70th birthday and she’d secretly invited friends to their new house to surprise him.

For 1pm. 😬

I had the enormous 7 and 0 balloons ready. The sellers were still very much IN the house.

Then completion came through.

The first party guest arrived. On a bicycle.

Before long I had sellers, buyers, removal men, friends, a dog, cheese, baguettes and two enormous rainbow balloons converging on the same house.

I sent the party around the side into the garden while the removals continued. It was essentially the property version of the Hokey Cokey. Sellers half in, buyers half in, removal men in and out, dog everywhere.

Meanwhile I’m trying to hand over keys and take meter readings while a 70th birthday party slowly breaks out around me. 😂

It was funny, but I also felt sad for my sellers. After 24 years, I’d wanted them to have time to say goodbye to their family home properly. Instead, their departure was rushed and stressful.

And there’s a lesson in this one.

I’d recommended Caversham Moves Ltd. Their plan had perhaps sounded like a lot to my seller beforehand. Standing there on completion day, I knew exactly why it had been a lot.

Moving 24 years of family life out of a three-storey, six-bedroom house IS a lot.

Sometimes the cheapest or seemingly simplest option isn’t the least costly. That day, the cost was stress.

Choose your removal company carefully. Give yourself more time than you think you need. And if your estate agent recommends someone, there might just be a reason!

Address

Caversham
Reading

Website

https://www.kwuk.com/agent/alex-howard-jones/

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