Tag Archives: crisis
UK housing market optimism at lowest level for 18 months
House price optimism in the UK fell to its lowest level for 18 months in January as lending got off to sluggish start. While the Halifax House Price Index found prices increased 2% to £193,130 in January, some 60% of those surveyed for the lender’s latest housing market confidence tracker report expect the average property price to be higher in one year’s time. This means that house price optimism has fallen from 62 to +52, the lowest this figure has been since June 2013, when 52% expected a rise in property prices. In June 2013 inflation was at 2.9% compared to 0.3% currently, employment was just over 30 million compared to 30.9 million, and lending levels were at £15 billion compared to 17 billion. Despite the fact that GDP for 2014 grew at 2.6% and all nine members of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted to hold interest rates at 0.5% the dip in confidence levels over house prices mirrors that over the economy in general. ‘More than half of consumers still believe house prices will be higher than they are now in a year’s time; however optimism has continued to weaken. Despite this the fundamentals remain in place and we’re now seeing a return to the seasonal trend for house price activity,’ said Craig McKinlay, mortgages director at the Halifax. ‘Traditionally, a slow start builds to the summer before another lull and then a further period of increase followed by a gradual easing at the end of the year,’ he added. But he pointed out that of more concern are the figures from the Department of Communities and Local Government showing a slowdown in the number of new homes being built. ‘It’s widely acknowledged that the UK needs an increase in the amount of new housing being built,’ said McKinlay. ‘The Lloyds Banking Group Commission on Housing targeted 2 to 2.5 million new homes built by 2025 new homes to be built before 2025. If we are to address demand the increase in new homes coming onto the market needs to be sustainable,’ he explained. Continue reading
Stamp duty changes in UK push first time buyer deposits to 18 month high
First time buyer deposits in the UK have increased by 15% in a year to average almost £30,000, driven by lower stamp duty bills for new buyers, according to the latest analysis. The average first time buyer deposit was £29,127 in January, up 7% compared to December 2014 and 15% higher than £25,314 in January 2014, the first time buyer tracker report from estate agents Your Move and Reeds Rains shows. The data also shows that first time buyers are saving the largest amount for their deposit since July 2013, some 18 months ago, as savings from December’s stamp duty changes take effect. This has also helped drive rising purchase prices for first time buyer homes, which have climbed to a new record. New buyers paid an average of £160,304 in January, 12% more than £143,343 a year ago. Revisions to the stamp duty slab system have reduced the upfront costs for many first time buyers, allowing them to divert that cash into a deposit fund. First time buyers paying the average purchase price would have been liable for stamp duty fees of around £1,600 before the graduated system was implemented, but this would now have been reduced to £700, saving them roughly £900. The report also says that simultaneously, as wages start to see a significant pick-up in real terms, growing purchasing power is reflected in the average first time buyer Loan to Value ratios and these have fallen 1.1% over the last three months, suggesting deflation and growing wages are allowing first time buyers to put together slightly larger deposits. Despite this, the average loan to income ratio for first time buyers has risen on an annual basis. On average, deposits now represent 75.4% of a first time buyer’s income, compared to 70.6% a year ago. ‘A fusion of economic factors is alleviating some of the financial burden of forming a deposit. Wages are starting to recover and inflation has fallen to a record low, meaning buyers have slightly more cash to play with day to day. And stamp duty fees were slashed for many new buyers when the government reformed the old slab system, freeing up further funds. It’s still difficult to save, with savings rates tied closely to the low base rate. But it’s easier to put cash aside than it was a year ago,’ said Adrian Gill, director Your Move and Reeds Rains. ‘However, property prices have pushed a new record for first-time buyers, meaning these extra funds are being diverted directly into larger deposits. Putting together a deposit to buy a property remains one of the most arduous tasks for prospective home-buyers, and schemes like Help to Buy are essential to allow the swathes of buyers reliant on higher LTV mortgages to get onto the housing ladder,’ he explained. The data also shows that there were 21,200 first time buyer… Continue reading
Scotland sees 9% quarterly rise in £1 million plus properties
The number of £1 million plus residential property sales in Scotland rose by 9% quarter on quarter in the final three months of last year according to a new analysis. A report from Knight Frank based on official data shows that the number of sales in this sector increased as the year progressed, with a sharp jump in sales during the second half of the year. Indeed, the total number of sales completed in the final three months of 2014 was 88% higher than the period between April and June and more than double the number recorded over the opening three months of the year. During the final quarter of 2014, £1 million plus sales took place in 11 different local authorities, led by Edinburgh, which accounted for 47% of the total sales over the three month period. This was followed by East Dunbartonshire with 13% and Fife with 11% while over the full 12 months of the year, Edinburgh accounted for 48% of all £1 million plus residential sales in Scotland, followed by Aberdeen City at 17%. According to Oliver Knight, of Knight Frank residential research team, the rise in high value property sales last year can be attributed to two factors, both of which have played a key part in boosting transaction volumes at this level of the market. Firstly, the market has responded to the certainty provided by the result of the independence referendum. ‘After months of doubt about the outcome, buyers felt more secure about making a decision to move house or purchase a property,’ he explained. Secondly, the announcement of the proposed Land and Building Transaction Tax (LBTT) rates in October shed light on how purchase taxes would rise in April 2015, especially for more expensive properties. ‘Buyers now have a window when purchase costs are lower, especially given the changes made to stamp duty at the Autumn Statement in December, and many are taking advantage. From April this year, when the new LBTT rules come into force, a buyer of a property valued at £1 million will pay nearly £35,000 more in purchase taxes,’ said Knight. ‘We expect that the extra impetus for buyers of property valued above £1 million to complete sales before the new LBTT levy comes into force in April will mean the number of high value property sales continues to rise for several months. Even with the new higher purchase taxes, the relative cost of property in Scotland compared to London and the South of England means there is still a large effective discount for buyers making the move north,’ he added. Ran Morgan, head of Scotland residential at Knight Frank, pointed out that the appetite for prime property, certainly in Scottish cities, remains high. Edinburgh continues to lead the way with the highest number of sales, followed by Aberdeen. ‘Despite forthcoming higher levels of tax, Scotland still offers excellent value compared with London and the south. Because of this we expect the… Continue reading
