According to National Homebuyers, reports of a strong property market have been exaggerated, as ninety per cent of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors members polled in their survey said that at best the UK market is static, and at worst slow.
This contrasts with reports from other providers, which state that the market is showing signs of improvement in 2006. Only one in ten respondents saw the trend in the market as positive, and of these, only 2% said that properties were selling without difficulty. Over a quarter said that the market was quiet. More than 20% of respondents in all regions, except the South East and the Midlands, reported that it was a market working in favour of homebuyers.
The survey found that the Northwest is the best place to sell a property at the moment, with 12% of the surveyors reporting that in this area the market was buoyant. In the Southeast, 11% said that it was a buyers' market.
Our view
The market appears stable but there will always be those who need to put some spin on property by saying it is bouyant. Always look at who is saying it is on the up and have a think if it is in their interests to say so.