News In Focus
9 March 2010
RICS sees rising confidence in housing market
The latest survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) shows a rise in confidence in the housing market, with more properties up for sale, more people looking to buy and prices rising.
A rise in prices in December 2009 was followed by a fall in January, which was blamed on bad weather conditions.
A total of 36% of surveyors said prices had risen in February while 64% said they had stayed the same.
Just 16% had reported an increase in January, down from 25% in December.
Chartered surveyors told RICS they expected the number of sales and house prices to continue to rise.
Grant Robertson of Allied Surveyors in Glasgow said: "After the snow, ice and chill winds of January, the housing market is beginning to show signs of thawing.
"Whilst this is driven by low stock levels, as in previous months, activity is rising and buyers are returning to the market."
Sarah Speirs, from RICS Scotland, said: "As we approach spring, activity traditionally picks up in the housing market as we have seen in the past month and signs still point towards rising house prices.
"But if supply outstrips demand, price increases will start to slow."