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UK property valuations up 50% month on month
Valuations in the UK property market last month increased across all sectors with the total number 50% higher than in January, according to the latest research. There was a strong surge in activity across the housing market but home movers led the way with a 59% rise in activity on a monthly basis, the data from Connells Survey and Valuation shows. However, despite the strength of this upsurge, this leaves home mover valuations in February 8% lower than 12 months before. ‘After an extended period of fairly subdued activity it is encouraging to see the market rebound. It is especially positive that all the sectors posted big gains. The first quarter is normally a strong one so after a relatively weak January it is reassuring to see February come back so strongly,’ said John Bagshaw, the firm’s corporate services director. ‘Previously activity among home movers was sluggish, reporting weak growth throughout the final quarter of 2014 and at the beginning of this year. However, supported by a sunny economic outlook and record low mortgage rates we are beginning to see a shift in consumer behaviour,’ he added. The data also shows that first time buyer activity reached an eight month high in February with the sector posting the second highest monthly growth after home movers. The number of valuations rose by 52% compared to the previous month, while on an annual basis it saw the smallest fall of just 3%. Bagshaw pointed out that the last time the sector saw such a boost in activity was in the rush before the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) stopped mortgage funding at the end of January 2014 and he added that the recently announced Starter Homes project should provide more additional support to the sector. ‘Although the scheme is fairly moderate in size the 20% discount being offered to first time buyers under the age of 40 provides a welcome sign that the government is keen not to be seen to turn its back on first time buyers,’ he said. The number of buy to let valuations followed up on January’s climb of 37% with a further monthly rise of 41% in February. Spurred by these monthly increases the sector posted an 8% year on year gain making it the only sector to post an annual increase. Bagshaw explained that continued weak inflation has further dampened fears of an upcoming hike in interest rates. ‘As a result we’re seeing increasing confidence among both lenders and borrowers alike as low mortgage rates carry on posing attractive deals. Whilst inflation remains low we expect the sector to continue to thrive,’ he pointed out. Remortgage activity followed the overall positive market trend with growth of just under 50% but year on year it was the weakest sector with a 10% drop in the number of valuations. Bagshaw said that remortgaging has… Continue reading
Asking prices up across UK led by Scotland and East Anglia
Asking prices have risen across all regions in England, Scotland and Wales over the last month, reflecting widespread positive sentiment across the UK, the latest index suggests. However, higher prices are also tempting vendors to put their properties on the market and the supply of property for sale in London, for example, has overtaken demand, according to the latest index from Home.co.uk. This is shown by a steep rise in the typical time on market which is currently 71 days, some 24 days longer than in March 2014, the report points out, although supply rises in other regions are much more muted. Asking price rises are led by East Anglia and Scotland, both with a monthly rise of 1.4%, and annual rises of 6.2% and 8% respectively. The report also says that an optimism abounds as even in the least well performing areas of the North East and Wales, prices have risen 0.4% and 0.3% respectively since February. A breakdown of the figures show that asking prices in London prices increased a further 2.1% despite rising supply and are up 31% year on year. While asking prices have increased by 1.1% overall in England and Wales during the last month but the average annual appreciation has fallen to 6.8%. Overall, the current mix-adjusted average asking price for England and Wales shows that properties on the market are valued 6.8% higher than they were in March 2014. The typical time on market for England and Wales is now 119 days, which is eight days less than this time last year, and shows that the market continues to gain momentum overall. ‘House prices are surging again, over and above seasonal expectations. The key market drivers of low mortgage interest rates and low supply remain very much in place,’ said Doug Shephard, Home.co.uk director. He pointed out that so far, the market correction in prime central London has not affected sentiment elsewhere in the country, and the flow of mortgage credit to homebuyers and property investors alike continues unabated. ‘We maintain that the best prospects for stable growth this year and next probably lie in regions such as East Anglia, East Midlands, the South West, West Midlands and perhaps Yorkshire. It may be argued that these regions are still in the throes of the recovery phase, as supply remains low and prices have not yet risen out of reach,’ he explained. ‘There are also further indicators that the recovery will, at last, lift the northern regions out of the misery of price stagnation. Those markets are gaining momentum and above inflation price rises look highly likely over the coming months,’ he added. He also pointed out that while prospects for price growth are poor for prime central London this year as an abundance of unsold stock has been whittling away at property values, for the time being, prices do appear to be stabilising. ‘The investment outlook for Greater London remains mixed but will slowly turn… Continue reading
Supply of Help to Buy homes falls by over 7% in a year
The supply of homes available under the UK’s flagship Help to Buy scheme has declined by 7.4% in a year and the average prices has risen by 5.5%. The worst affected area is Stockport where the number of available homes has fallen by 24.3%, according to new research from property firm Zoopla. The analysis of properties for sale in England and Wales up to a value of £600,000 also shows that on a regional basis the biggest fall in properties eligible for Help to Buy has been in the East of England, with a 12.3% reduction in suitable stock on the market, while average prices have climbed 6.1% over the same period. Also, compared to March 2014, there are now 16.9% fewer properties on the market in Rochdale that meet the scheme’s criteria, and 15.6% less in Huddersfield. Further south, the number of properties for sale in Worcester, Cheltenham and Exeter that qualify for Help to Buy support has increased by 5.4%, 3.3%, and 3.2% respectively in the past 12 months. In London, the typical value of a property qualifying for Help to Buy has risen by 11.7% since March 2014 and of all London boroughs, Southwark, Lambeth, Waltham Forest and Newham have seen the greatest annual rise in supply of homes with a rise of over 15%. ‘The Help to Buy scheme was intended as a leg up for first time buyers, but in some areas that footrest has since been pulled from under their feet,’ said Lawrence Hall of Zoopla. ‘Greater demand hasn’t been met by greater supply of homes on the market, and instead the soaring price growth of the past year appears to have airlifted many properties out of the starter home sector,’ he explained. ‘The pool of homes on the market within reach of Help to Buy assistance needs to expand, or this pinch on supply will continue to inflate prices at the bottom rungs of the ladder,’ he added. Continue reading
