Market survey suggests political uncertainty impacting local housing market

This story is over

New instructions, buyer enquiries and overall sales have continued to decline in the East Midlands according to respondents of the May 2017 RICS UK Residential Market Survey.

Data analysts say that supply continues to worsen, with new sales instructions falling further, supporting price growth across the region in a trend dating back for almost two years.

In May, 22% more chartered surveyors said they expect house sales across the region to fall in the coming three months.

With the general election being suggested as the main cause for the subdued expectations, others anecdotal evidence suggests fewer buy to let investors and general uncertainty over Brexit as reasons for a “lacklustre market”.

Whilst a fall in new instructions is not a new theme, this month 64% more respondents reported a fall in new properties coming on to the market compared to a net balance of -38% in April.

Prices continue to remain buoyant in the interim with 48% more respondents reporting price rises in the past month. However, due to the above listed challenges future price expectations are starting to soften with only 6% more respondents expecting prices to rise in the coming three months

Simon Rubinsohn, RICS Chief Economist said: “Although the latest survey suggests that uncertainty related to the General Election may have contributed to what appears to have a been disappointing level of transactions in the housing market over the spring, perhaps the most ominous signal emanating from the data released today is that contributors still expect house prices to increase at a faster pace than wages over the medium term despite the difficulty many first time buyers are clearly having in taking their first steps onto the property ladder.

“The increasingly tight second hand market remains a cause for concern with the RICS series tracking new instructions to agents recording its fifteenth successive negative reading. It is hard to see this as anything other a major obstacle to the efficient functioning of the housing market.”

Chris Charlton FRICS of Savills in Nottingham added: “The market has slowed again with a reduction in new stock coming to the market. We can only look forward post-election improvement, however there are no guarantees.”