According to figures, the Easter period saw the market remain steady but the number of sales per agent dropped from an average of 14 to 13. Despite this, April saw the number of buyers on agents’ books fall while housing stock remained stable. In a pattern similar to the previous year, the number of buyers also dropped by 10 per cent.
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The average difference between asking and selling price also decreased, from an average of 2.9 per cent to 2.7 per cent.
Charles Smailes, NAEA immediate past president, said: “There has been a steady closing of the gap between asking and selling price, which is great to see, as buyers and sellers are being realistic on property values in the market place.
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“The anticipation of Home Information Packs (HIPs) will have definitely meant that the May housing market report will see an influx of properties being placed onto the market in order to defer the added expense and time of setting up a HIP.”
Jeff Kirk, corporate relationship manager at Leeds BS, said: “The research suggests that the market is slowing down, but our experience is that it is still buoyant. However, the recent Base Rate rises are beginning to bite and we may see the impact in the coming months.”
