Tuesday, 14 February 2012

House prices edge up in January as first time buyers increase

House sales in the West Midlands edged up during January as an increased number of first time buyers looked to beat the stamp duty holiday, according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors .

Some 35 per cent more surveyors across the region reported rises rather than falls in newly agreed sales since the beginning of the year, according to the latest RICS UK Housing Market survey.

From March 24, first time buyers will no longer be exempt from stamp duty on properties under £250,000 and some surveyors note this has produced an increase in activity at the lower end of the market.

In light of this, respondents in the West Midlands were cautiously optimistic about prospects in the near term, as a net balance of six per cent of surveyors predicted transaction levels to pick up over the coming three months.
This represents the strongest reading since August 2010.


Read More http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2012/02/14/house-prices-edge-up-in-january-as-first-time-buyers-increase-65233-30328296/#ixzz1mMz033vd