Published at 06:12, Friday, 26 February 2010

DON'T speak too soon, but could we be looking forward to a happy year of house-buying? Property pundits have analysed the portents and are risking a positive forecast.

The national Home Sale Network – which includes Tynedale-based estate agents – has found that the time taken to sell a property appears to have reduced across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Their survey also indicates that house prices for the first quarter of 2010 could remain steady.

This calm after many months of storm is likely to encourage hesitant sellers and buyers to take the plunge into the housing market.

Andrew Coulson from Northumbria & Cumbria Estates – the member of Home Sale Network in Tyne Valley – said: “It is interesting to review the time taken to sell properties now, when compared to the beginning of 2009.

“With the majority of respondents predicting stock levels will increase in the first quarter of this year and house prices predicted to remain broadly the same, it appears 2010 could see a positive market ahead.”

When Home Sale Network asked their members how they thought housing stocks – the number of houses available for sale – would perform into the spring, 60 per cent predicted that stock levels will increase or at least stay the same.

And more than 60 per cent are optimistic that house prices will remain stable for the first quarter of 2010, with most of the rest expecting a slight climb. Only two per cent of agents questioned feared that prices would fall back.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk