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Liverpool district named as top up and coming area for affordable homes in UK
New research shows where in the UK it is possible to find a home below the national average price of £200,000 but in areas where there has also been storing price growth in recent months. Liverpool's central L1 postcode is the top affordable area on the up, having seen a property price increase of 41.2% in the last year. An average property increased in value from £85,000 between December 2011 and November 2014, to an average of £120,000 for the year to November 2015. The analysis of Land Registry data by consumer organisation Which? Mortgage Advisors, also shows that second and third were 'LL27 in Conwy North Wales and BD1 in Bradford, just east of the city's University. Average property prices in these postcode areas increased by 37% and 36% respectively. In LL27 the average property price rose from £135,000 between 2011 and 2014, to £185,000, and in BD1 they rose from £42,000 to £57,000. Despite the significant increase in average property prices in these areas, they remain under the national average. Even in London where prices are higher there are pockets with affordable homes with the potential to increase in value such as DA18 in Bexley DA18. The average property price in DA18 was £191,500, up by 32% in the last year. ‘For a first time buyer or a buy to let investor, these up and coming areas can provide an affordable alternative to buying in an already established area,’ said David Blake at Which? Mortgage Advisers. ‘You could see your property grow in value quickly, but it's important to remember that property markets can change, and there is never a cast iron guarantee that values will continue to rise,’ he explained. The organisation says there are a number of signs that an area may be 'on the up' such as being next to currently thriving town and if a local authority plans to regenerate the town centre as well as plans to improve transport links. Other signs include the arrival of new trendy shops, restaurants, cafes and nightlife while skips and scaffolding can be an indication of increased prosperity and improved housing stock. New build properties appearing can often increase the value of surrounding properties as well as new schools being built or current ones climbing Ofsted rankings while new estates agents appearing are also regarded as a sign of a growing property market. Continue reading
British buyers returning to French property market
There is a renewed optimism in France’s residential property market which has led to a significant upturn in sales, according to a new analysis report. A new analysis points out that a more stable economic outlook in the country, which is still popular with overseas buyers, has filtered through into buyer sentiment. The latest data from international real estate firm Knight Frank shows that sales in France doubled between 2014 and 2015, whilst enquiries from prospective buyers increased 87% year on year. It also points out that the figures from the Notaires de France, backs this up, with the most up to date statistics showing sales across the country have increased by 12.5% year on year. The analysis also points out that with favourable mortgage rates of around 2.3%, prices stabilising in most prime markets and the euro weak against both the pound and the US dollar, buyer confidence has strengthened. But this confidence is price dependent. Sales volumes are strongest within the €1 million to €5 million price bracket but transactions above €5 million are slow. According to Mark Harvey, head of Knight Frank’s French department, two indicators underline the extent to which the market has shifted in the last two to three years. Firstly, the performance and convergence of France’s prime prices and secondly excess supply is being absorbed. ‘Not only have prices reached their floor in the majority of France’s key second home markets, but all of our five regions saw prices shift within a range of only 5%five percentage points. For several years we saw a marked disparity between France’s strongest and weakest markets, this has now all but disappeared,’ he said. ‘The excess supply that was evident for several years in areas such as Gascony and Provence has now largely been absorbed back into the market. Add to this the slow recovery in house building it is possible that when prices start to pick up they could do so relatively quickly due to limited stock levels,’ he explained. Another key factor for the recovery of France’s property market is that British buyers are back. The British own more second homes in France at 69,000 than in any other European country. ‘Given the lifestyle on offer, France’s proximity and the currency advantage in recent years it is perhaps no surprise that the British are active once more and represent a key source of demand in all of our markets,’ said Harvey. He also pointed out that equipped with a strong dollar, American buyers are also increasing in number, particularly in Paris and parts of Gascony, whilst Evian continues to be in favour with high net worth buyers from the Middle East, drawn to its lakeside living and easy access to The Alps. Demand from domestic buyers has also strengthened. ‘Faced with lower purchasing power abroad, a more positive political sentiment, cheap finance and good value, particularly in Paris, French buyers are seeking a slice of their capital’s real estate,’ Harvey explained. ‘Across France interest… Continue reading
UK property prices up almost 8% year on year
UK house prices increased by 7.9% in the year to January 2016, up from 6.7% in the year to December 2015, taking the average price to £292,000, according to the latest data to be published. The index from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) also shows that prices increased by 8.6% in England, by 0.1% in Scotland and by 0.8% in Northern Ireland but fell by 0.3% in Wales. Annual house price increases in England were driven by an annual increase in the South East of 11.7%, then London with growth of 10.8% and the East of England up by 9.8%. Excluding London and the South East, UK house prices increased by 5.1% in the 12 months to January 2016 and on a seasonally adjusted basis, average house prices increased by 0.9% between December 2015 and January 2016. In January 2016, prices paid by first time buyers were 7.7% higher on average than in January 2015 while for owner occupiers prices increased by 8% for the same period. Richard Snook, senior economist at PwC, pointed out that the first ONS housing market figures for 2016 show strong momentum in the UK but he also pointed out that performance has been mixed across the UK. He said that the market has cooled in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where prices are roughly unchanged from a year ago, whilst growth in the South continues to power ahead. ‘The recent changes to stamp duty, whereby supplementary rates will be charged on purchases of additional homes, may be providing a small boost to the market, as people rush to complete transactions before the changes come into force in April this year,’ he added. Rishi Passi, chief executive officer of Oblix Capital, believes that behind the scenes, an imbalance between supply and demand has been squeezing the bottom end of the market, which together with a rush to beat the April stamp duty rise, has driven up prices and stretched affordability for those taking their first step on the housing ladder. ‘The new Lifetime ISA and Help to Save initiatives will go some way to give entrants to the market a much needed leg up, and with local authorities across England planning 270,000 houses a year over the next 15 years, the Chancellor’s commitments to house building may begin to level the playing field,’ he explained. The figures reveal the sharp regional differences, according to Mark Posniak, managing director at Dragonfly Property Finance, and he said that for annual prices in the South East to have out-performed London underlines an ongoing shift in demand away from the capital as people look for more value elsewhere. ‘London will remain a formidable bastion of the UK's property market but for many its prices are an insurmountable obstacle. With interest rates unlikely to rise this year and the employment market as strong as it is, demand will remain,’ he pointed out. Continue reading
