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Research shows US first time buyers battling against less choice and higher prices
First time buyers in the United States are facing a lack of affordable homes to buy and higher prices, according to new research. Home values are rising the fastest among entry-level homes in more than half of the largest housing markets, according to latest real estate market report from Zillow which covers the first quarter of 2016. It says that rising home values in this segment of the market can be attributed to a lack of supply, with 10% fewer homes for sale this year compared to last. The median value of entry level homes, that is those in the bottom third of the market, have increased the most over the past year in Denver, up 20%, followed by Portland and Dallas. The report also shows that there are 13% fewer entry level homes available in Denver than there were a year ago. The number of entry level homes available declined the most in Portland where there are 40% fewer entry level homes available than there were a year ago. The findings signal difficult times ahead for first time buyers looking to enter the market. Going into home shopping season this spring, buyers will find fewer homes in the bottom and middle of the market which are the properties most affordable for first time buyers. The trend also highlights the different experiences buyers are having in the recovering housing market. Buyers looking for the most expensive homes will find slower price growth, a larger selection, and less competition this spring than entry level buyers who are likely to face stiff competition, bidding wars, and very few homes to choose from. ‘It's going to be a tough home buying market this spring, especially for first time buyers or even people looking to move up into a slightly more expensive home,’ said Zillow chief economist Svenja Gudell. ‘In order to stand out in a competitive market, buyers should get pre-approved for a loan, find an agent who has experience with bidding wars, and consider coming in at the asking price, so the seller knows they're serious,’ she added. In all of the largest US housing markets, more than a third of the homes available for sale are in the most expensive segment in the top third of the overall housing stock in the market. In nine markets, top tier homes make up more than half of the inventory. The most expensive homes on the market are more likely to have a price cut, a signal that there's less demand for top tier homes. The share of top tier listings with a price cut has increased 1.6% over the past year. Continue reading
Property prices dip in England and Wales after mad March buy to let rush
Property prices in England and Wales fell by 0.5% in March, taking the average price of a house to £189,901, the latest land registry figures show. This takes annual house price growth to 6.7% but prices vary according to location with London and the East of England the only two regions with month on month growth. In London property prices increased by 0.2% month on month and by 13.9% year on year, taking the average price to £534,785. In the East of England price were also up 0.2% month on month, taking annual growth to 10.7% and average value to £220,989. Everywhere else in England and Wales prices fell month on month with the steepest fall of 2.6% in Yorkshire and Humber, followed by a fall of 2% in the West Midlands. Prices fell by 1.2% in the North East, by 0.9% in Wales and the South West, by 0.4% in the South East, by 0.3% in the East Midlands and by 0.1% in the North West. Year on year prices were up everywhere apart from the North East where annual growth was down by 0.7% to £97,581. Prices were up 10.3% in the South East, by 5.8% in the South West, by 5.7% in the East Midlands, by 5.3% in the North West, by 3.5% in Wales, by 3.1% in the West Midlands, and 1.6% in Yorkshire and Humber. Experts point out that the fall in prices should not be a surprise after a mad rush in March as buy to let landlords and second home buyers sought to beat the introduction of a 3% stamp duty surcharge on additional homes that came into force on 01 April. David Brown, chief executive officer of Marsh & Parsons, believes that there is still a lot of energy in the first time buyer market for other owner occupiers unaffected by the stamp duty chance. ‘This should step up to fill any momentary fall back in investor demand, and keep prices on course. In London, there are 14 buyers competing for every available property on the market, which will keep the wheels of growth moving,’ he added. According to Andy Knee, chief executive of LMS, the monthly dip will cause hopeful home buyers to breathe a sigh of relief that house prices have not stretched further out of reach. ‘But year on year, a 6.7% rise across England and Wales is cause for concern. In London particularly, where house prices rose 13.9% annually to exceed an average value of £534,000, homeownership is fast become possible for only the very wealthy,’ he said. ‘Despite government intervention to aid first time buyers, such as Help to Buy, Starter Homes and the Lifetime ISA, these schemes fall short of making property more affordable for millions,’ he pointed out and added that uncertainty over the referendum in June on the future of the UK in the European Union could have an effect. But he does not think… Continue reading
UK housing market slows after buy let rush in March, latest index shows
UK house prices increased by 0.2% in April but annual house price growth has slowed to 4.9%, down from 5.7% the month before, the latest index figures show. This takes the average price of a home to £202,436 with the slowing of activity not a surprise due to increased market growth in March due to stamp duty changes, according to the index report from the Nationwide. Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, said that the slowdown returns the annual pace of house price growth to the fairly narrow range between 3% and 5% that had been prevailing since the summer of 2015. ‘It may be that the surge in house purchase activity resulting from the increase in stamp duty on second homes provided a temporary boost to prices in March. However, it is possible that the recent pattern of strong employment growth, rising real earnings, low borrowing costs and constrained supply will tilt the demand/supply balance in favour of sellers and exert upward pressure on price growth once again in the quarters ahead,’ he explained. He pointed out that there were 165,400 transactions in March, an all-time high, some 11% higher than the previous peak of 149,000 recorded in January 2007 and estimates from the Council of Mortgage Lenders suggests that mortgage lending also rose sharply, to almost £26 billion in March, up 43% from the £18 billion recorded in February. ‘If confirmed by Bank of England data later this week, this would suggest a strong outcome, up nearly 60% year on year and also well above recent highs of £22 billion per month recorded in early 2015, though still well below the all-time high of £34.9 billion recorded in June 2007,’ Gardner said. ‘The increase in mortgage lending is likely to have been driven by a sharp increase in buy to let investors bringing forward their purchases before the stamp duty changes took effect. Buy to let has accounted for an unusually high share of lending in recent months, at around 19% of lending in the three months to February, but the strength of activity suggests its share could surpass 25% in March,’ he explained. ‘Viewing the transactions and mortgage lending data together suggests that, while buy to let lending is likely to have risen strongly in March, a large proportion of the boost to house purchase activity came from cash buyers,’ he added. Gardner also pointed out that cash purchasers have become a more significant part of the market since the financial crisis, accounting for around 35% of all transactions since 2008 compared with around 25% in 2006/20007. ‘Cash investors would have also been better placed to buy properties in the relatively short period of time between the stamp duty announcement at the November Autumn Statement and the implementation on 01 April,’ he added. But a continued limited supply of properties could mean that the market could still be lively in the coming months, according to Michelle Grant, investment director of Grant… Continue reading
