Spring is in the air!

Besley Hill have noted that the number of people wanting to buy or sell homes has picked up in the past month.

The firm confirmed the number of potential sellers rose in March to its highest level for 12 months. This finding was confirmed by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

The number of prospective buyers rose by 7% last month also.

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 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 BBC News 16.04.10