House-sellers have hiked their asking prices to the highest amounts ever recorded in the month of April amid further signs of a recovering market, a property search website has revealed.
MailOnline reports that Rightmove found that the gap between the sums that sellers are asking and actual selling prices has also narrowed, indicating that sellers are having to negotiate less and buyers are in a position to pay more.
Asking prices rose by 2.1% month on month to reach £244,706 on average, which is the highest figure recorded by the research for the month of April and stands just £1,500 below an all-time high set in June 2012.
Rightmove, whose records go back for more than a decade, tipped next month for a new asking price high, as a combination of confidence returning to the market this spring and a shortage of properties for sale continue their upward pressure on prices.
Across England and Wales, London was the only region where asking prices took a dip in April, falling by 0.5%, although at £493,635 on average they are still 6.2% higher than a year ago.
East Anglia saw the biggest month-on-month asking price jump, with a 4.4% rise taking typical prices to £224,538.
Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove, said: “With London prices pausing for breath this month but likely to bounce back next, May looks like an odds-on bet to deliver a new asking price record. 'More estate agents are reporting more activity in more segments of the market.'
The year has got off to a promising start for house sellers, with asking prices now £15,717 or 6.9% higher than they were at the start of 2013, following monthly price increases for every month of the year so far.
On a year-on-year basis, prices are up by 0.4% and the latest rise follows a new high for asking prices recorded for the month of March which was set last month.
Lenders, estate agents and surveyors have been reporting signs of a pick-up in the housing market since the Government launched a scheme called Funding for Lending last August, which has prompted an increase in mortgage availability. Lenders have also been offering some of their lowest ever mortgage rates.
Rightmove said that while some of the uplift in asking prices has come from a more positive view of the market generally, a shortage of homes coming up for sale is also pushing prices upwards, as buyers compete for fewer fresh properties.
The website said that the run of houses coming to market in April was 4% down on a year ago. Homes are spending around 73 days on the market before they are sold, which is 10 days less than in April 2012.
Rightmove said that comparing its asking price figures with the price houses are actually selling for, which is recorded by the Land Registry, the gap has narrowed from 3.39% in December to 2.95%.
Mr Shipside said: “This indicates that sellers are negotiating less and buyers are willing or able to pay more. While the discount from the asking price on an individual property is very much a product of how realistic that price was, it is a sign of a recovering market if they are paying closer to what sellers ask.'
A further indication of the improving situation comes with a Daily Mail story about an authoritative report which states that property sales will bounce back and a rejuvenated housing market will boost economic recovery this year.
The Ernst & Young Item Club, an independent forecaster whose full quarterly analysis comes out tomorrow, admits official figures due in 11 days might show Britain has technically fallen into a triple-dip recession, but says the trend is towards recovery.
The report will say an expected million property sales, helped by Government measures to boost mortgage lending, will lift the economy. Growth will also be raised by increased consumer spending as a result of tax cuts announced in last month’s Budget.
“Clearly, the indications are that the property market has turned the corner and is now well on the road to recovery,” said Adam Offer, managing director of leading independent south west estate agents, Besley Hill, whose 16 offices confirm a strong resurgence of interest from home-buyers in Bristol and Gloucestershire.
Monday 15 April 2013
HOUSE PRICES HIT RECORD HIGH FOR APRIL
House-sellers have hiked their asking prices to the highest amounts ever recorded in the month of April amid further signs of a recovering market, a property search website has revealed.
MailOnline reports that Rightmove found that the gap between the sums that sellers are asking and actual selling prices has also narrowed, indicating that sellers are having to negotiate less and buyers are in a position to pay more.
Asking prices rose by 2.1% month on month to reach £244,706 on average, which is the highest figure recorded by the research for the month of April and stands just £1,500 below an all-time high set in June 2012.
Rightmove, whose records go back for more than a decade, tipped next month for a new asking price high, as a combination of confidence returning to the market this spring and a shortage of properties for sale continue their upward pressure on prices.
Across England and Wales, London was the only region where asking prices took a dip in April, falling by 0.5%, although at £493,635 on average they are still 6.2% higher than a year ago.
East Anglia saw the biggest month-on-month asking price jump, with a 4.4% rise taking typical prices to £224,538.
Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove, said: “With London prices pausing for breath this month but likely to bounce back next, May looks like an odds-on bet to deliver a new asking price record. 'More estate agents are reporting more activity in more segments of the market.'
The year has got off to a promising start for house sellers, with asking prices now £15,717 or 6.9% higher than they were at the start of 2013, following monthly price increases for every month of the year so far.
On a year-on-year basis, prices are up by 0.4% and the latest rise follows a new high for asking prices recorded for the month of March which was set last month.
Lenders, estate agents and surveyors have been reporting signs of a pick-up in the housing market since the Government launched a scheme called Funding for Lending last August, which has prompted an increase in mortgage availability. Lenders have also been offering some of their lowest ever mortgage rates.
Rightmove said that while some of the uplift in asking prices has come from a more positive view of the market generally, a shortage of homes coming up for sale is also pushing prices upwards, as buyers compete for fewer fresh properties.
The website said that the run of houses coming to market in April was 4% down on a year ago. Homes are spending around 73 days on the market before they are sold, which is 10 days less than in April 2012.
Rightmove said that comparing its asking price figures with the price houses are actually selling for, which is recorded by the Land Registry, the gap has narrowed from 3.39% in December to 2.95%.
Mr Shipside said: “This indicates that sellers are negotiating less and buyers are willing or able to pay more. While the discount from the asking price on an individual property is very much a product of how realistic that price was, it is a sign of a recovering market if they are paying closer to what sellers ask.'
A further indication of the improving situation comes with a Daily Mail story about an authoritative report which states that property sales will bounce back and a rejuvenated housing market will boost economic recovery this year.
The Ernst & Young Item Club, an independent forecaster whose full quarterly analysis comes out tomorrow, admits official figures due in 11 days might show Britain has technically fallen into a triple-dip recession, but says the trend is towards recovery.
The report will say an expected million property sales, helped by Government measures to boost mortgage lending, will lift the economy. Growth will also be raised by increased consumer spending as a result of tax cuts announced in last month’s Budget.
“Clearly, the indications are that the property market has turned the corner and is now well on the road to recovery,” said Adam Offer, managing director of leading independent south west estate agents, Besley Hill, whose 16 offices confirm a strong resurgence of interest from home-buyers in Bristol and Gloucestershire.
Thursday 11 April 2013
HOUSE SALES REACH THREE-YEAR PEAK
The amount of homes sold in the UK reached a three-year high during March as increased confidence in the market continued to translate into sales, says the latest RICS housing market survey.
In March, chartered surveyors reported selling an average of 17.4 homes over the previous three months, the highest number since March 2010. Confidence has been slowly returning to the UK housing market since the end of 2012 and transactions have also risen for three consecutive months.
This increasing stability was mirrored by prices as respondents across the country reported practically no movement during March. A net balance of just one per cent more surveyors reported price falls (from -7%), meaning house prices across the UK have now been relatively stable for six months.
Moving on to demand, an increasing number of prospective buyers got out and viewed property during March. A net balance of 11% more surveyors reported rises in new buyer enquiries, the highest reading since October. It seems that government’s recent efforts to encourage banks to offer more affordable mortgages may now be starting to bear fruit and assist purchasers.
Meanwhile, the amount of homes coming onto the market was little changed last month. Two per cent more surveyors reported rises rather than falls in new instructions, meaning that the shortfall of fresh stock coming to the market remains a key issue for buyers.
At a regional level, the survey suggests that, on average, surveyors in the West Midlands have seen the biggest increase in homes sold since the start of the year, followed by those working in the London area. During March, chartered surveyors in the South West reported selling an average of 17 homes, increasing slightly on February’s figure of 16.
Looking ahead, respondents are optimistic that the recent increase in transactions is set to continue. A net balance of 19% more surveyors expect sales to rise further over the coming three months. Moreover, price expectations indicators for both the next three and twelve months have been in positive territory for the last four months.
Peter Bolton King, RICS Global Residential Director, said: “A buoyant, healthy property market is central to economic recovery and, while these are still very much early signs, it is encouraging that sales are beginning to pick-up. The increase in potential buyers getting out there and viewing property is particularly encouraging.”
Adam Offer, managing director of leading South West estate agents, Besley Hill, said that feedback from the group’s 16 offices throughout Bristol and Gloucestershire confirmed that, thanks to initiatives such as Funding for Lending, mortgages are becoming more accessible to buyers, which is gently easing the pressure on the market and freeing up stagnant chains.
Tuesday 9 April 2013
HOUSE PRICES ARE RISING
House prices are rising in Bristol and South Gloucestershire, according to figures from the Land Registry, the Government Agency which monitors the sale of houses.
The average house in Bristol now costs £169,425 - an increase of 2.4 per cent over the last 12 months - while homes in South Gloucestershire are even more expensive at £176,839 - an increase of 1.4 per cent over the last year.
The nationwide average currently stands at £162,606 - which is an increase of one per cent over the last 12 months.
"These figures show that house prices in Bristol and South Gloucestershire are performing better than most other parts of the country," said Adam Offer, managing director of estate agents Besley Hill, who have 16 offices throughout the area.
"Limited supply and increased demand will result in property values in this part of the country continuing to rise during the coming year, indicating that now is a good time to buy."
Monday 8 April 2013
LOTS OF VARIETY AT BESLEY HILL AUCTION
A contrasting selection of properties will be offered by auctioneer Nigel Freston at Besley Hill's auction at the BAWA Pavilion Lounge, Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol, on Thursday April 18.
The Lots are as follows:
2-4 Camp View, Winterbourne Down (guide price £85,000-£100,000):
Cottage in need of renovation subject to a lease on part of the
building with potential for income.
Gloucester House, Gloucester Street, Avonmouth (guide price £150,000):
A large commercial building of around 4,000 square feet and yard in
need of renovation.
102 New Walls, Totterdown (guide price £90,000-£110,000): A one-bedroom
house in need of some modernisation. Ideal for an investment or starter
home.
12 Ashley Road, Ashley Down (guide price £140,000-£160,000): In need of
complete refurbishment, a property arranged over four floors currently
divided into a two-bedroom maisonette together with studio apartments
on first and second floor levels.
For further details view the auction catalogue online at www.besleyhillsurveyit.co.uk or contact the auctioneer’s office at 10 Badminton Road, Downend, Bristol BS16 6BQ, tel 0117 970 1551, email info@besleyhillsurveyit.co.uk
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