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House sales in Northern Ireland rise at fastest rate for more than three years as prices move upwards
13th August 2024
A net balance of 65 per cent of surveyors in Northern Ireland reported that newly agreed sales rose through the month of July, up from 36 per cent in June and 47 per cent in May - the highest balance seen across all the UK regions.
Surveyors remain optimistic on the sales outlook, with a net balance of 54 per cent of respondents anticipating that sales will rise over the next three months.
House prices were also reported to have risen through the month of July, as a net balance of 86 per cent of NI respondents reported that prices have increased over the past three months.
Samuel Dickey, RICS Northern Ireland residential property spokesman, said: "It’s encouraging to see surveyors in Northern Ireland reporting an increase in supply and good demand which ultimately led to an increase in sales through the month of July and may be contributing to the optimism going forward.
"Although respondents in NI are more confident when it comes to sales and prices over the next year when compared to the rest of the UK, the supply of new build homes continues to be a concern as the house building industry continues to navigate ongoing challenges such as planning delays, skills shortages and the ongoing wastewater infrastructure deficit."
Terry Robb, head of personal banking at Ulster Bank, added: "The latest survey points to positive news for the housing market in Northern Ireland with the region outperforming other areas of the UK in terms of newly agreed sales.
"This continues to tally with the number of mortgage enquiries we are dealing with and it’s positive to see this interest coming from a range of different borrowers.
"While the recent reduction in the base rate has provided customers with increased levels of confidence and optimism, many buyers are still experiencing challenges, and so alleviating some of the problems around housing supply would inject further positivity into the market."