All RICS articles – Page 7
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Comment
Is the housing market on the turn again?
Today’s release by the surveyors’ body RICS of its latest housing market survey provides a little bit of support to both sides of the will-they-won’t-they debate on house price rises.Looked at nationally, the broad measures of estate agents experiences and expectations of house prices remain positive.A majority of 17% saw ...
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Comment
Was it just the cold or is it a relapse?
There are plenty of people, “experts” indeed, who fully expect a double-dip recession for both the economy and, for that matter, house prices.For them the data emerging for January’s performance appears to be, albeit gently, vindicating their position. They will no doubt seize with alacrity the retail figures from the ...
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Comment
It's a long wait yet for commercial construction upswing
Each time a commercial property developer hints at making a move in the market I am confronted with the same question by those with an interest in construction work: Is this the start of the upswing?This question is usually followed by the suggestion that developers must be keen to build ...
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Comment
Pundits on balance point to flat house prices in 2010
It's the time of the year for reflections, resolutions and prognostications. And what can be more fun than guessing the likely path of house prices?Well I can think of a few things. And I'm also left wondering why anyone would wish to state a house price forecast publicly and put ...
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Comment
Housing recovery is resting on happier family homes market
The latest swathe of housing data continues to suggest a pick up both in prices and activity and the RICS November house price survey, released today, adds further weight to the case for a housing recovery.Its measures for sales, expected sales, new inquiries, new instructions, prices and expected prices are ...
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Comment
New Year stamp duty switchback will have little impact, says RICS
For those interested in what will happen when the stamp duty holiday comes to an end on December 31, the surveyors' body RICS has done a little bit of research among its members.Basically, the results seem to suggest that by and large the effect on property transactions will be muted ...
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Comment
Signs of life for housing?
This week has seen the release of data from CLG, covering the second quarter’s housing starts, and CML, providing the latest data on mortgage lending. Both have seen sharp increases. Housing starts in England during the second quarter of 2009 were 63% higher than in 2009 Q1 following the high ...
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Comment
Forecasters call the bottom of the house price slump
The increasing stretch of stable house prices is leading forecasters to call the bottom of the slump.The Nationwide late last month tentatively said it may be time to think the unthinkable that house prices may exit 2009 higher than they entered it.Last week much was made of the RICS saying ...
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Comment
Green shoots?
RICS commercial property survey shows that the pace of decline has slowed and demand is marginally increasing in the office market. Of those surveyed, just 13% said new sales and lettings had fallen, compared with 71% two quarters ago, but any fall at all is still bad news.The rise in ...
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Comment
Housing activity rises but prices set for further falls
The latest RICS housing market survey paints a more optimistic picture of the housing market, with evidence that confidence and activity continue to improve.The ‘new buyer enquiries' series (the balance of surveyors reporting an increase rather than a decrease in buyer interest) has been rising since November and, at 48 ...
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Comment
There may be trouble ahead
How worried should we be about the the findings by the surveyors body RICS in its latest construction market survey showing that the outlook for the industry is at its worst for a decade?The short answer is seriously concerned. But that is only a partial answer. It certainly does not ...