Investment
Scotland sees strongest house price growth for seven months
Property prices in Scotland increased 0.8% in December month on month and 2.5% year on year, according to the latest index figures. It is the strongest year on year increase since May 2015, taking the average house price to £170,641, with the typical property up by £4,000, according to the index from Your Move. But Aberdeen recorded a steep fall in house prices, down 6.8% year on year as demand fell due to the falling oil price. Overall sales were strong with transactions up 21% in December 2015 compared to the same month in 2014 and the top end of the market is recovering, with 11 million pound home typically sold each month by the end of 2015. But Christine Campbell, Your Move managing director in Scotland, pointed out that the increase over the year to December is still below the 4.4% rise in 2014, as growth was skewed by the introduction of the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT). She also pointed out that the average house price has now broken through the £170,000 barrier again for the first time since May and 2015 was a turbulent one for some parts of Scotland. Aberdeen experienced the biggest dip in house prices with property values in the area falling 6.8% or £15,551. ‘This decline has been driven by the drop in demand for homes in the area, as the tumbling oil price reduces employment and investment into the city,’ said Campbell. ‘Aberdeen has also felt the negative affect of the introduction of the LBTT, as it’s home to a large number of higher value properties which the tax hit hardest. The city has now slipped to sixth in the house price rankings, down from third at the end of 2014,’ she explained. Total sales for the year were 6% higher than in 2014, in stark contrast to England and Wales where sales are down 2.6% year on year. In Scotland, the type of homes selling swiftest were flats, up 18.4% in the last quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. The smallest increase was in pricier detached properties, but sales still rose 8.8% over the same time period. ‘As typically the cheapest type of property on the market, flats have benefited most from the switch to LBTT which removed tax paid on purchases under £145,000. With an extra 3% surcharge on second homes coming into force in April, we can expect another jump in sales during the first quarter of 2016, as sellers hurry to beat the tax hike,’ Campbell said. The million pound property market has seen the most extreme changes this year. Overall, there has been a 30% annual increase in the sale of high value homes in 2015. Half of these sales came in March, as owners rushed to beat the introduction of the LBTT. This was followed by a short term drought which saw the average number of million pound… Continue reading
Discounted Starter Homes in UK will not help many families, research has found
Discounted starter homes could be out of reach for the majority of families in need of an affordable home in many parts of the UK, it is claimed. First time buyers will be able to buy 200,000 new starter homes over the next five years at a minimum discount of 20% of the market value with discounted prices capped at £450,000 in London and £250,000 elsewhere. However, according to an analysis by the Local Government Association while the national starter homes scheme could help some people onto the housing ladder it won’t help everyone who wants one of these homes. The LGA pointed out that crucial details of the scheme are yet to be confirmed but it is concerned it will help the fewest numbers of people in areas where the housing affordability crisis is most acute and will be out of reach for many people in need of an affordable home in the majority of local areas. Although house builders will be able to build and sell starter homes below the price caps, councils are concerned that this could be difficult for developers to achieve without compromising on quality, particularly in areas with higher house prices. Town hall leaders are calling for the system to be flexible regarding the number, type and quality of starter homes so that they meet the needs of local communities. Councils also need powers to provide affordable rented homes that are crucial for enabling people to save money towards a deposit, and the means to secure investment in vital infrastructure that new home buyers will expect and will rely on. The analysis by real estate services firm Savills for the LGA reveals that discounted Starter homes prices will be out of reach for all people in need of affordable housing in 67% or 220 council areas and are out of reach for more than 90% of people in need of affordable housing in a further 80 council areas. People in need of affordable housing are defined as those who would have to spend 30% of their household income to rent or buy a home. The research says that for the average earner with a minimal deposit of 5% looking to buy an average priced house, a 20% discount would make it possible to borrow enough to buy a starter home in just 45% of all council areas in England. This includes all average priced homes in the North East of England, 95% in the North West and 90% in the East Midlands. Being able to save a 20% deposit would make an average priced home with a 20% discount affordable to buy in a further 29% of local areas. This includes a third of council areas in Yorkshire and Humber and the West Midlands. The average earner living in 85% of London boroughs, 49% of council areas… Continue reading
Positive start to 2016 for Spanish prices with two indices showing growth all round
The residential property market in Spain has started 2016 positively with the latest figures showing that the average value of housing increased in January. The latest data from property appraisal company Tinsa, shows that the Balearic and Canary Islands have seen prices rise the most, up 5.4% month on month and 3.2% year on year. While overall prices increased by 2.9% compared to December 2015 and are up 1.1% year on year. Prices in large cities increased by 2.9% year on year while priced on the Mediterranean Coast rose by 1% and in Metropolitan areas they increased by 0.8%. But in smaller towns the market is not doing as well, with average prices falling by 2.2% year on year although there was a small rise month on month. It also shows that since the peak of the market in 2007, the average property prices is still down by 41% but there are regional variations. For example, since the peak prices are down 48% on the Mediterranean Coast, down 44.2% in large cities and down 43.5% in Metropolitan areas. The gap is less in the Balearic and Canary Islands, with an accumulated decline of 29.1% from peak while in smaller town they are down 37.3%. Property portal Fotocasa’s latest data is also positive. It shows that the average price of second hand housing in Spain increased by 0.3% month on month in January, taking the average price to €1,623 per square meter. However, year on year this index is still showing an average decline in prices of 0.3%. It also shows that since the peak in 2007 average prices are down 45% and 12 of Spain’s 17 regions have registered price declines in excess of 40% since the peak. In a Rioja prices are down 54.7% since 2007, in Castilla-La Mancha by 52.2%, in Navarra by 52.1%, in Aragón by 51.4%, in Murcia by 50.1%, in Valencia by 47.8%, in Catalonia by 46.6%, in Asturias by 45.6%, in Madrid by 44.7%, in Andalucía by 42.7%, in Extremadura by 41.6% and in Cantabria by 40.1%. In January average prices increased in 10 regions. The biggest rise was in the Canary Islands with growth of 2.1%, followed by Aragón up 1.2%, Valencia up 1%, Andalucía and Catalonia both up 0.9%, Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra and La Rioja all up 0.8%, the Balearic Islands up 0.2% and Asturias up 0.1%. In contrast, Extremadura recorded the biggest fall in prices with a decline of 1% in January, followed by the Basque Country down 0.9%, Galicia down 0.6%, Cantabria down 0.5%, Castilla y León and Murcia both down 0.4%, and Madrid down 0.2%. The Basque Country remains the most expensive of Spain’s regions, with an average price of €2,730 per square meter, followed by Madrid at €2,197 and Catalonia at €2,064. The regions with the most economical second hand housing prices are Castilla-La Mancha at €1,058 per square meter, Extremadura at €1,100 and Murcia at €1,145. The index also shows that 30 of the 50… Continue reading
