Further evidence has emerged of a
slow-down in UK house prices in April, as the Halifax said growth eased
to 9.2% compared to last year.
A month ago, the Halifax said house prices were rising by 10.1%.
The slow-down follows a rush to beat the new stamp duty tax rates for buy to let and second homes at the start of April, the Halifax said.
Compared with March, prices actually fell in April - by 0.8% - although the monthly figures can be very volatile.
A
record 165,400 UK properties were sold in March ahead of the tax
changes, which was 11% more than the previous peak in January 2007,
according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Previously the Nationwide said annual house price inflation dipped from 5.7% in March to 4.9% in April.
Dr Howard Archer, chief economist at IHS Economics, said that
uncertainty over the EU referendum was also likely to "rein in" housing
market activity for the next few months.
"Nevertheless, we expect
housing market activity to regain limited momentum in the second half of
2016 on the assumption that a vote to stay in the EU reduces
uncertainty and supports a pick-up in economic activity," he said.
'Imbalance'
"Current
market conditions remain very tight as the severe imbalance between
supply and demand persists," said Martin Ellis, Halifax's housing
economist.
"This situation, combined with low interest rates and
rising employment and real earnings, should continue to push house
prices up over the coming months."
However, the Halifax also said that confidence in the housing market was at its lowest level in over a year.
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