UK housing market report for March 2013
Key Findings
- Average number of house hunters registered per branch decreased
from 289 in February to 286 in March.
- Average number of sales agreed per branch remained the same in
March as it was in February at 8.
- Average number of properties available for sale per branch
increased from 58 in February to 60 in March.
- Average percentage of first time buyers (FTBs) decreased from
24 per cent in February to 19 per cent in March.
The housing market in March presented a rather mixed picture.
The number of homes sold showed little change on February's
figures, while members saw an increase in the supply of properties
and a slight reduction in the number of house hunters looking to
buy.
The average number of FTBs entering the market decreased
significantly, falling from almost a quarter (24%) in February to
almost a fifth (19%) in March. Follwoing after an initially
positive start to the year, this is the second month in a row that
FTB figures have dropped.
Meanwhile, and also for the second consequetive month supply of
homes increased, with the average number of properties available
per branch increasing from 58 in February to 60 in March.
This rise follows a similar increase between January and February,
which suggests sustained market confidence that sellers can secure
a sale.
But while supply has continued to increase, the number of homes
sold per branch during the month remained at 8, on par with
February.
House hunter numbers dropped to 286 in March, for the second
consecutive month from an average of 289 in February. This
marginal decline may suggest that house hunters have been deterred
by the unseasonably poor weather in March this year. Whatever the
cause, however, it is clear that supply continues to outstrip
demand in the first quarter of 2013, although sales levels remain
strong.
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