x
By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies to enhance your experience.

This month's stamp duty reforms should help boost the supply of homes in agents' offices in 2015 according to Mark Hayward, managing director of the National Association of Estate Agents.

London and the south east will show slower growth in terms of price [but] with stamp duty reforms now in place, we're hoping for greater supply in the market nationwide as there's more encouragement for people to buy and sell says Hayward.

He says there may be three challenges to a strong market in the coming 12 months.

The first is a construction skills shortage which will limit the number of new homes built to meet demand. The lack of capacity within the market means that the gap between supply and demand won't close - we currently don't have the resources to respond to the problem explains Hayward.

The second challenge is the uncertainty of the May general election. Whichever party is likely to come in to power, and with the housing market being based solely on sentiment, any uncertainty may result in a temporary lull. However, we don't believe this will have long-lasting implications on the market he says.

The final challenge is the likelihood of interest rate rises. The Bank of England feels this will have little effect on current mortgage holders and first time buyers. However, our research among NAEA members suggests the impending rate rise will influence demand, with 70 per cent of agents already reporting signs of demand dropping says Hayward

It's likely that the imminent rate rise will continue to affect demand, as well as affordability he says.

Comments

MovePal MovePal MovePal