News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the August / September 2001 issue RPI news archive

Mixed messages on house prices - August / September 2001

Sales of houses fell by a more than a third over the past year, according to data provider Experian.

The firm said that since the second quarter of 2000, property sales have fallen by 35 per cent to stand at 175,244 in the first quarter of 2001. 'This downward trend looks set to continue', it warned. Even so, latest figures from HM Land Registry showed average values of houses sold continue to climb ­ they rose by an average £7,000 in the second quarter of this year, putting them 11 per cent higher than in the same period last year.

In contrast to the Experian figures, the Land Registry data showed sale volumes had risen by 14.5 per cent over the same period last year.

Figures just released by the mortgage bank Halifax, however, show July property price increases to be the lowest this year, up by 0.7 per cent. Halifax said weaker economic growth had 'curbed the demand for properties'.
 

other artilces from the August / September 2001 issue

• Getting off benefits
• Byers 'entices' investors with HB conditions
• Dispersal policy driven by 'cheap accommodation'
• Void calculation held to be void
• Stormy times for policy holders
• Security bye-law considered
• Independent insurance advice
• Mixed messages on house prices
• In brief