House Price Market Commentary for July 2009
Skip to Headline Statistics or Useful Resources

Despite the misleading headlines that prices are rising, the actual national picture shows property prices continue to fall year on year albeit at a slowing rate. The latest Land Registry data shows the average home is now worth around £152,000. However, comprehensive analysis of both value and volume housing statistics shows:-

1. Property price surveys shouldn’t be relied on by the media to explain what is actually happening in the market.
2. The housing market is starting to bottom out in some areas around the UK.
3. Regionally, some markets have recovered, albeit at a low sales rate, while in other locations, the housing market is still in dire straits.

To really understand what the figures below mean and what is going to happen in the market place for the rest of 2009, then READ MORE.

Want to know whether you should buy, sell, rent or stay put? Click on the relevant button below:-

1. First time buyers – should you buy or continue renting?
2. First time sellers – I can’t sell, is there any point leaving my property on the market?
3. Trading up – what do you need to do to successfully sell and buy at the same time?
4. Trading down – is this the right time to be selling? Will you be losing money?
5. Property investors – will prices fall further or is now the time to buy? 

 READ MORE

Performance and commentary since January 2009:-

Jan 09

Feb 09

Mar 09

Apr 09

May 09

Jun 09

Click here to see our latest buying/selling articles

Headline Statistics

Headline Statistics	Statistics	+/-	Source	Month
Average Prices	£153,046 to £222,762	-3.1% to -14%	Rightmove highest Land Registry Lowest	June/July data
Transactions*	30,997*	-48%	Land Registry	Jan to April 09
Time to Sell	9.0 Weeks	Decrease	Hometrack	July
Number of viewings to sale	11	Down from 12	Hometrack	July
Offer to Market Price	91.5%	Increase	Hometrack	July
% change new buyers registering with agents	+2.8%	Down versus 4.6% increase last month	Hometrack	July
No houses sold by agents	10	30% up year on year	NAEA	June
% sold to for sale boards	30.2%	up from 29.%	For Sale Sign Anaylsis	July
Number of new mortgages	47,584	Higher than May's 43,414, but still down YOY	Bank of England	June

*  Per month
**Per agent

Sold versus For Sale Sign Boards data*

Month	December	January	February	March	April	May	June
Percentage Sold	16%	12%	17%	19.5%	21.1%	28.3%	29.5%

*Data provided by FSSA, for more information on this data, Contact us

Links to useful Buying and Selling Reports

Price Indices
There are at least seven property indices and other companies that comment on the property market, please checkout the links below:-

Rightmove    Halifax    Nationwide   RICS 
Communities    Financial Times    Land Registry

Other Useful Resources
Hometrack    NAEA    RICS    Savills    Knight Frank

For more market commentary on a national or local level:-
Contact Kate Faulkner on 07974 750562 or 0845 838 1763. To read more about Kate, please visit ABOUT US, see Kate on video and for media appearances, contact:

Sylvia Tidy-Harris
STH Management                    
Tel  +44 (0) 1530 263221
Mob  +44 (0) 7970 646872
Fax: +44 (0) 1530 264018