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Traffic to UK property websites up for first time in two years

12th November 2009, Brand Republic

For the first time in over two years, UK traffic to property websites is on the up, an indication that the housing market is in recovery.

Experian Hitwise reports that UK internet visits to property websites were up by 4.8 per cent in October 2009 compared to October last year, the first annual increase for over two years.

The online property market was one of the first areas to suffer as a result of the credit crunch back in autumn 2007, and by January 2008 visits to the category were contracting at an annual rate of 36.6 per cent.

Robin Goad, director of research at Experian Hitwise, said: "Traffic to online property websites has been recovering gradually throughout 2009, but this is the first month that we have experienced an actual annual increase.

House prices on the rise in North West, says RICS

10th November 2009, Place North West

House prices continued to rise in the region in October, according to the latest Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors UK Housing Market Survey.

The net balance of surveyors in the region reporting a rise rather than falls in house prices reached 8% in October, up from 3% in September.

The net balance of surveyors reporting an increase rather than a decrease in new buyer enquiries in the region rose to 34% in October compared to 13% the previous month.

The survey also suggest vendors in the region are returning to the market, although not at as high a pace as seen in September. A net balance of 33% of surveyors in the North West reported that they had seen an increase in new instructions to sell in October, compared to 39% in September.

Transaction levels in the region continued to rise with sales per surveyor rising to 19 over the past three months, from 14 in September.

House Hunters Say Local Media is More Trusted and Up-to-date Than Specialist Property Websites

16th April 2009, Newspaper Society

House hunters believe local media is a more trustworthy and up-to-date source of property market information than specialist property websites such as Rightmove, a Continental Research study shows.  

The recession has not dulled the renters' dream of become a homeowner - more than a third of renters (35 per cent) want to buy a property in the next six months, according to the wanted ads Property.

Most house hunters contact a maximum of three estate agents and local reputation (60 per cent) is the second most important factor behind cost of commission (61 per cent) in deciding which one to use.

Local media, (36 per cent) is seen as the best independent source of information about estate agents - ahead of Rightmove (32 per cent) and word of mouth (12 per cent).

To read the rest of this article from The Wanted Ads click here