There Is Confidence In The Property Market

These are challenging times in the housing market, but at Williams of Petersfield, we believe there is significant confidence in the property market. We see this when we speak with clients, and we see this in the major studies carried out in the housing market.

Market analysis carried out by the Building Societies Association (BSA) found:

  • 30% of respondents think this is a good time to buy property
  • This 30% is a drop from the 37% of respondents who said March was a good time to buy property, which is likely linked to the tapering off of the stamp duty holiday period, and the increase in property prices

What matters to home buyers?

The study spoke to people who are likely to move home or who will buy their first home in the next six months, and the following findings were made:

  • Location remains the leading priority for property buyers
  • 73% of respondents said obtaining more private outdoor space was vital, which represents a significant rise
  • 62% of respondents said moving away from built-up areas and being closer to nature was important
  • Finance was an important factor too, with many people looking to move to better manage their mortgage payments:
  • 51% of respondents cited reducing their mortgage payments as being a driving factor in switching
  • This represents a big increase over the 37% of respondents who cited this in December 2020
  • 59% of respondents said raising a deposit was likely to be the biggest barrier to them stepping on the property ladder
  • A lack of job security was cited by 48% of respondents, which is high, but less than the 68% cited by respondents in September 2020

Paul Broadhead, Head of Mortgage and Housing Policy at the BSA, said: “These latest results are an encouraging sign that the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic are starting to fade for many, as confidence in the housing market remains strong. There’s no doubt that the government support measures introduced over the last 12 months, such as the Stamp Duty holiday, have been key drivers of the confidence we see. It does however appear that the market will remain buoyant as these incentives come to an end.”

Paul continued by saying; “Whilst the Nationwide Building Society House Price Index reports house price growth of over 11% in the last 12 months, and our research shows 50% of the public think further price rises are likely in the coming 12 months, it’s not surprising that raising a deposit has returned as the biggest challenge for those wanting to get on the property ladder. It’s therefore good to see that in addition to a number of societies supporting the government’s First Homes initiative, many have also re-introduced low deposit mortgages as part of their standard mortgage range.”

Paul Broadhead concluded by saying; “Amongst all the positive signs in the housing market, it’s important to note that almost half of the respondents have concerns about their job security. Whilst this is a declining trend, it remains clear that there are many people for whom the pandemic continues to have a negative financial impact and it’s important both for lenders and government to ensure that appropriate safety nets are available to give households the support they need when they need it”.

At Williams of Petersfield, we aim to support the Petersfield community as much as we can, and we know this is an extremely trying time. A lot of people are looking for support and guidance, and if you have any property or housing related questions, we are more than happy to assist you, so contact us today.

Is Confidence Back In The Property Market?

Confidence can make a massive difference in the property market, and it is easy to see why so many people want to feel more optimistic about the market this year. Information provided by NAEA Propertymark isn’t going to dampen enthusiasm, and it is easy to see why many people feel 2020 could be the year when things improve with buying and selling homes.

A lot of the optimism stems from the organisation stating the number of prospective buyers, and the number of agreed sales, increased in December 2019, compared to December 2018.

The year on year sales agreed per member branch stood at five in December 2017 and 2018, but in December 2019, the number have increased to six agreed sales per branch. This may not seem like much, but any step forward is to be celebrated, and there are many reasons why December is a slower month in the market.

Of course, the General Election of 2019, and the convincing margin of victory for the Conservative Party means December 2019 wasn’t a standard month or a typical December.

Sales to first-time buyers increased

The presence of first-time buyers is crucial, because this is the largest group of buyers in the property market. The number of sales made to first-time buyers in December 2019 increased marginally from November 2019. The figures moved from 28% to 29%. However, the year-on-year figures showed a notable increase of 5%. The December 2018 figures stood at 24%.

There was a fall in house hunters registering with estate agents

One area where there was a slight hit in the market was the number of house hunters registered per branch. In November 2019, this stood at 332, but in December of 2019, this had fallen to 313. This is the lowest figure since July 2019, when there were 305 house-hunters per branch. However, there was an increase in the year-on-year figures, which stood at 304 potential buyers per branch in December 2018.

More homes were supplied to the market

In November 2019, there were 39 homes supplied to the market per branch, and by December 2019, this increase to 41. This is the highest figure since August 2019, when there were 44 houses per branch on the market. There was a slight dip in the year-on-year figures, moving from 42 in December 2018.

Mark Hayward is the Chief Executive, NAEA Propertymark and he said; “After a period of suppressed market activity due to Brexit and political uncertainty, the clear outcome of the General Election in December has injected some much-needed confidence into the market.”

Mark continued by saying; “Despite it typically being a quieter time of the year seasonally, our figures have shown positive trends with both demand and the number of sales being high in comparison to previous years, as both buyers and sellers no longer hold off on their plans. This is an encouraging close to the year and we hope to see more of this stability in 2020.”

If you plan on making a move in or around Petersfield this year, contact Williams of Petersfield, and we will be happy to help.