16
Apr
Housing market sees spring bounce, estate agents say
The number of people trying to buy or sell homes has picked up
in the past month, according to estate agents.
The number of potential sellers rose in March to its highest
level for six months, the National Association of Estate Agents
(NAEA) said.
And the number of prospective buyers went up by 7% last
month.
The NAEA said spring had brought its usual increase in activity,
and suggested sales would improve in the coming months.
"Spring has finally arrived and brought with it a much needed
boost to the housing market, particularly among sellers," said Gary
Smith of the NAEA.
"This figure has been low in recent months and this is a welcome
indication that reflects a growing confidence that the recovery is
well underway."
Encouraging signs
Earlier this week, a survey by the the Royal Institution of
Chartered Surveyors (Rics), some of whose members also work as
estate agents, reported that the number of people trying to sell
their homes last month had reached its highest level since May
2007.
According to the NAEA's survey, the average number of homes for
sale at each of its member's branches rose from 56 in February to
60 in March.
At the same time, the number of house hunters registered with
each branch went up by 7% last month, to 274 per branch.
Sales have also risen, the NAEA said, from an average of 6.8 per
branch in February to eight last month.
The NAEA said all this was encouraging, especially with more
sellers around.
"This month's figures reveal an increase in the levels of
housing stock with more properties available for sale per branch -
the highest value recorded over the last six months," the NAEA
said.
"More house-hunters also registered their interest. With the bad
weather now behind us buyers and sellers alike are returning to the
market with a renewed vigour," it added.
source: www.bbc.co.uk/news Friday
16th April 2010