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Connells Group Market Report connellsgroup.co.uk Quarter 2, 2016 Contents Introduction3 Estate Agency 4-7 Land & New Homes 8-9 Residential Lettings 10 - 13 Mortgages 14 - 17 Asset Management 18 - 19 Survey & Valuation 20 - 22 Economic Outlook 23 - 24 Methodology 25 About Us 26 - 27 Contacts28 3 Introduction David Livesey, Group Chief Executive I am pleased to present to you our usual report on the residential housing market in respect of Q2. However, I will spend most of this overview looking at the market immediately pre and post the EU referendum vote on 23rd June, when the country made a momentous long term decision that quite naturally has some short term consequences. to 2014 and, in the three weeks since, they have increased and are now broadly running level with 2014. In the week following the Brexit decision, aborted sales (buyers withdrawing from agreed sales pre contract) spiked at 71 per day, compared to 50 per day seen during May. Some of this was opportunistic ‘chipping’ of deals, some was prompted by genuine concern, notably from foreign buyers living and working in the South East and being paid in sterling. However, in the weeks since, abortive sales have returned to normal levels, averaging 50 per day in the last 2 weeks. We entered Q2 with a buoyant performance in all areas (sales, lettings, surveying, mortgages, conveyancing, new build) and this continued into April and May until a notable hesitation appeared late May / early June. Overall, a good second quarter but this was overshadowed by the lead up to the 23rd June vote. Here are some more indicators from the last two weeks compared to the equivalent period in 2015: Unlike the General Election of last May, which removed uncertainty and provided a positive boost to the summer property market, the Brexit vote delivered a dose of pre-vote jitters, some immediate negative impacts, and an overall increase in short term uncertainty. My instinct is that this uncertainty will dissipate, with domestic politics being resolved, and the Government, Bank of England and other institutions focused on an orderly withdrawal from the EU. - Market appraisal activity is up 3% - New instructions are level however, in the last week these are up by just over 2% - Prices have been reduced on 8% of our available stock – only slightly up from early June where the figure was 6.5%. These price reductions average 5% of the asking price. Brexit - what is really happening? - The number of offers made are down 6% - Sales agreed are down 9%, however, this figure has improved to 7.4% in the last week 2015 2016 12.8 11.6 In the three weeks prior to 23rd June, sales agreed were 11% down on the same weeks of 2015, when the market was strong, but 1% up on 2014 when it was starting to weaken after a very strong spring. 10.4 In the three weeks after, sales are off by 13% and are now 5% below 2014. This is a greater than expected downturn and reflects some hesitancy from buyers. 5.6 9.2 8 6.8 4.4 3.2 Average Sales per Branch Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar 2 Feb Whilst web enquiries reduced significantly in June, down 26% on 2015, they remained broadly in line with the levels seen in 2014. In the three weeks prior to 23rd June, they were down 5% compared 2014 14 Jan Our staff interact with all elements of the housing market on a daily basis: supporting customers that are looking to buy, sell, rent or let properties, as well as servicing the needs of the major Housebuilders and Lenders. These interactions provide us with a rich and detailed view of market sentiment, activity and direction, well in advance of the usual monthly market statistics, and I want to draw upon our insights and share some of our current data for the period to 20th July. In general terms, London and the South East seemed to have suffered the worst impact, but even after three weeks, recovery is visible. So overall, whilst sales agreed have taken a step down from the very high levels in Q1, and are down 13% compared to the same period last year, all other indicators are looking healthy and improving each week and this infers a relatively short period of lower transaction volumes. Indeed, our branches are already seeing activity returning to expected July levels. In Q2 we saw house prices at Exchange increase by 2.4% just ahead of our 2% prediction at the end of Q1. Our view is that with the continuing imbalance of high demand and low stock for sale, house prices will stay level in Q3, picking up again thereafter. With the combination of potential reductions in interest and corporation tax rates, reassuring messages from the Government and the Bank of England, with no signs of reduced appetite from Lenders and ‘business as usual’ comments from Housebuilders, the housing market is weathering the uncertainty of Brexit well. For instance, Rightmove, a good barometer of customer appetite, has reported new listing levels similar to previous years, with asking prices and enquiry levels in line with a typical run-up to the summer holiday season. ‘So far, so good’, the medium term step-down in transaction volumes is a healthy re-adjustment rather than a worrying cliffhanger, and it is in tougher market conditions like this that the Connells Group really excels. Being the best seller of homes is not easy and the cut-price / weaker agents may well report figures that are not reflective of the underlying strength of the market. When an estate agent tells you he will sell your house for less, he is really telling you he will sell your house for less! The housing market remains active, and rather than take our foot off the pedal waiting for long term decisions to be made, we will be focused on working hard for our customers and clients, and building on our strong year-to-date position. To use an EU (well, French!) quote, ‘Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose’, the more things change, the more they stay the same! On the back of a strong performance in the first quarter, and with the EU referendum scheduled for June, many industry experts suggested that the second quarter of the year would see a significant dip in activity levels. However, with much of the uncertainty not materialising until the weeks immediately before the vote, we have in fact seen activity levels for the quarter above those of 2015, on nearly all measures. With the outcome of the referendum introducing both political and economic uncertainties, it is unlikely that we will see this level of activity maintained during the coming quarter. Whilst some transactions and prices within London and the South East have felt an immediate impact from the Brexit decision, the extent to which this goes beyond a knee-jerk reaction and the usual seasonal summer slowdown remains to be seen and with continued demand, the market may fare better than some are suggesting particularly as we see some easing of house price inflation. David Plumtree, Group Chief Executive (Estate Agency) The first six months of 2016 27 have seen an increase in the number of applicants registering their interest in the market with numbers % ahead of the same period in 2015 5 Estate Agency David Plumtree, Group Chief Executive (Estate Agency) New buyers and instructions Viewings MM The number of new instructions to the market slowed during the course of Q2, ending 2% below Q1 2016. Despite this reduction, the Q2 performance represented an uplift of 3% on the level achieved in Q2 2015. MM The level of viewing activity dipped by 4% compared to the levels seen in Q1, but remained 4% ahead of Q2 2015. With both April and May matching the Q1 average, the reduction in activity was driven by the reductions experienced in June which was 6% down on June 2015. MM The first six months of 2016 have seen an increase in the number of applicants registering their interest in the market with numbers 27% ahead of the same period in 2015. There was a pronounced drop in registrations in June as we approached the EU referendum, however, June in isolation was still 9% ahead of the same period in 2015. MM The ratio of applicants registered to new instructions was 8.2 in the quarter. Whilst this is down from 9.3 in Q1 2016, it compares favourably to Q2 2015 (6.9) and Q2 2014 (6.5) and continues to reflect the high level of buyer demand for new properties coming to the market. MM Following the buoyant start to the year, the sales market started confidently in Q2 with both buyer and seller activity levels remaining strong during April and May before the approaching referendum introduced some signs of hesitancy. Applicant registrations, market appraisals and instructions all performed ahead of Q2 2015 although the uncertainty introduced by the referendum outcome will no doubt have a bearing on this trend continuing into Q3. MM With the level of new instructions continuing to be outpaced by the level of new applicant registrations, the outlook for buyers is likely to remain competitive during the coming months whilst the emerging political and economic uncertainties start to develop. MM Despite the fall experienced during June, viewings in the first six months of the year are 6% ahead of the same period in 2015. Offers MM The number of offers in the quarter increased by 4% compared to Q2 2015. Sales agreed MM With buy-to-let investors bringing forward many of their planned purchases to Q1, and some buyers holding back until after the referendum, the number of sales agreed in the quarter fell by 2% compared to Q2 2015. MM Year to date, our sales activity remains 2% ahead of the first six months of 2015. 20 6080 0 4060 2040 020 0 180 140 180 120 160 180 100 140 160 12080 140 160 Number of buyer offers Number of buyer offers Jun-16 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 May-16 Number of buyer viewings Number of buyer viewings 60 100 120 40 80 100 8.5 9.0 8.0 8.5 9.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 5.0 5.5 5.0 Numberviewings of buyer offers Number of buyer (Indexed) 2.25 2.25 2.00 2.25 2.00 1.75 2.00 1.75 Number of sales agreed (Indexed) Viewings per offer Jun-16 Jun-16Jun-16 May-16 May-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jun-16Jun-16 May-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16Mar-16 Mar-16 Mar-16Mar-16 Apr-16 Apr-16Apr-16 Feb-16 Feb-16Feb-16 Feb-16 Feb-16Feb-16 9.0 Jan-16 Jan-16Jan-16 Number of buyer viewings Jan-16 Jan-16Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Dec-15 160 Jun-16 Jun-16Jun-16 May-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15Nov-15 80 140 100 60 120 80 120 180 140 100 160 120 Nov-15 Nov-15Nov-15 Number of buyer offers (Indexed) Oct-15 Oct-15Oct-15 160 180 140 160 Dec-15 Dec-15 Dec-15 0 Sep-15 Sep-15Sep-15 180 Nov-15 Nov-15Nov-15 140 160 120 140 160 100 120 140 80 100 120 60 80 100 40 60 80 20 40 60 200 40 0 20 Oct-15 Oct-15Oct-15 0 Oct-15 Oct-15Oct-15 12 20 Sep-15 Sep-15Sep-15 40 100 60 20 80 40 0 60 20 40 0 Sep-15 Sep-15Sep-15 50 150 100 Aug-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 100 200 150 Aug-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Jun-16 Jun-16Jun-16 May-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15Nov-15 Oct-15 Oct-15Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 0 Aug-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Number of instructions Jul-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 Number of instructions Jul-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Dec-15 Number of instructions Jul-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Dec-15 Applicants registered Apr-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 100 140 160 80 120 140 Nov-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Applicants registered Mar-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Applicants registered per new instruction Nov-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 Applicants registered Feb-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 120 160 Jan-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 140 Dec-15 Dec-15 Dec-15 160 Nov-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 0 Oct-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 150 250 200 Oct-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 02 Sep-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 250 Sep-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 0 Number of applicants registered and new instructions (Indexed) Aug-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 50 0 Aug-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 200 250 Sep-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 10 12 8 1012 6 810 4 68 2 46 0 24 Jul-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 0 100 50 Aug-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 60 200 40 0 20 Number of buyer offers Number of buyer offers Number of buyer offers Number of sales agreed Number of sales agreed Number of sales agreed 60 60 40 40 Estate Agency Number of sales agreed 8.5 120 8.0 100 7.5 80 7.0 60 6.5 40 6.0 Viewings, offers and sales Prices MM As is to be expected in a market with reduced stock levels, prospective purchasers continue to make competitive offers with the average number of offers per sale agreed remaining at 9.0 1.8. 8.5 8.0 MM With stock levels down over 10% on June 2015, the shortage 7.5 of stock continues to present a challenge to homebuyers keen 7.0 to take their first, or next step, on the property ladder. 6.5 6.0 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 1.50 Jul-15 Aug-15 Sep-15 Oct-15 Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16 Feb-16 Mar-16 Apr-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jul-15 Aug-15 Sep-15 Oct-15 Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16 Feb-16 Mar-16 Apr-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 1.00 £230,000 £220,000 1.50 £200,000 £210,000 £190,000 1.25 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 £180,000 Offers per sale agreed £230,000 Nov-15 1.75 1.75 £240,000 Nov-15 2.00 £240,000 2.00 £250,000 Oct-15 MM 2.25 June’s average property value represents an annual increase of 6% compared to June 2015. £250,000 2.25 1.00 Oct-15 MM Whilst some activity levels have eased towards the end of the quarter, the average house price continues to increase in line with our forecasts achieving a 2% increase over the course of Q2, with the average asking price reaching £255,917 by June 2016. 1.25 5.5 5.0 5.0 Sep-15 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 MM Viewings per offer of 7.9 remained in line with that seen last year and only marginally down on the 8.0 experienced in Q1 2016. Aug-15 5.5 20 0 Sep-15 Continued 9.0 140 Jul-15 160 0 Aug-15 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 0 Jul-15 20 20 £170,000 Average house price 7 The increased levels of demand for both new homes and development land seen in the first quarter of this year have tailed off throughout the second quarter which is evidenced in the Connells Group front line sales figures. At the half year point, the number of new home sales is still up 2% on the same period in 2015. These figures represent a consolidation on the high levels of growth seen in recent years. Post-Brexit we anticipate that the volume of house sales for the remainder of the year will be at similar levels to those achieved in 2015 provided that new home property supply levels are maintained by the house building sector and there is no slowdown in production due to market nervousness. In the first quarter, 11,300 residential applications were granted, down 1% on the same period in 2015. The outlook for the housing industry will be influenced by stability in the financial markets and interest rates look set to remain at their current low levels. If there is any future movement, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee is more likely to reduce rates than to increase them. This could offer a boost to the housing market and construction industry as cheaper mortgages will fuel demand, albeit that this will impact on the undersupply of housing across the UK. Roger Barrett, Group Land Director Year to date new home sales remained 2 % ahead of the same period in 2015 9 Land & New Homes Roger Barrett, Group Land Director 2014 240 2015 2016 200 Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan 240 240 200 80 Average Weekly S Average Weekly Sales Average Weekly Sales Average Weekly Dec In Dec Oct Nov Dec Dec Nov Nov Nov Oct OctOct Sep SepSep Sep Aug Aug Aug Aug Jun Jul JulJul Jul Jun Jun May May May Apr MayApr Jun Apr 0 0 AprMar Mar 40 40 Feb Feb Feb Mar 80 80 Mar 0 2016 2016 120 120 Jan Jan 50 2016 2015 2015 160 160 150 40 100 0 2015 2014 2014 200 200 Average weekly sales 2014 250 250 250 200 2016 2015 2015 2016 2016 200 200 150 150 150 Average weekly instructions Dec Dec Dec Nov Nov Nov Oct Oct Oct Sep Sep Sep Aug Aug Aug JulJul Jul Jun Jun 0 0 May May 50 50 Jun 50 Average Weekly In Average Weekly Instructions Average Weekly Instructions Apr Apr May 100 100 Apr Mar Mar 100 0 2015 2014 2014 Feb Feb MM By the end of July, the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee will publish a new report: Building More Homes. The Committee’s wide ranging report will assess the scale of the problem and it is hoped that it will make recommendations to deal with the housing crisis. The report will also look at whether the Government’s ambition to build a million new homes by 2020 is sufficient, or achievable. 2014 160 250 120 Mar Housing supply 200 Feb MM Year to date new home sales remained 2% ahead of the same period in 2015. 240 MM There are no signs yet that supply of credit to the house building industry is likely to be an issue in the coming months but, with the outcome of the Brexit vote presenting our housebuilders with additional a need for additional 2014 challenges, there 2015 may well be2016 Government support at least in the short term. Jan Jan MM Sales activity ended the quarter down 8% on Q1 2015, with some investment buyers moving some of their buying activity forward to Q1 2016 in advance of the changes to stamp duty. Therefore, it was unlikely that the level of activity seen in Q1 would be maintained into Q2 however, this reduction was primarily driven by the reduction in activity seen during June, the month of the referendum. 0 Feb MM Land and professional turnover levels in Q2 were similar to the same period in 2015, albeit that a number of transactions were carried over into Q3. 40 Jan Sales activity 80 Jan MM The number of new instructions fell by 4% compared to Q1 2016 driven by a drop in activity in April. The month of May delivered a particularly strong performance and June was 3% ahead of March 2016 and in line with June 2015. Average Weekly S MM Despite the political and economic uncertainties following the Brexit result, the underlying need for more housing stock remains. It will be interesting to see how the Government seeks to maintain the momentum that had started to build around the existing initiatives. 120 Jan New buyers and instructions 160 As Q2 began, changes in stamp duty legislation produced an increased number of instructions onto the market compared to last year, rents have remained relatively stable, despite the total number of applicants reducing slightly year on year, and demand still outstrips supply for the right properties. It was interesting to witness that in the week of the EU referendum, no discernible reduction in activity could be seen and Q2 ended strongly. This trend has continued into July with applicant numbers at expected levels, added to which tenancies continue to grow in length (averaging 22 months), and landlords do not appear to be leaving the sector despite the prospect of reducing tax allowances. Stephen Nation, Group Lettings Managing Director 16 Most significantly, the number of new instructions in the quarter was Q2 % ahead of 2015 continuing the trend seen at the start of the year 11 Residential Lettings Stephen Nation, Group Lettings Managing Director New applicants and instructions Regional rents MM The new applicant and new instruction numbers in Q2 remained level with those seen in Q1, although both measures saw increases compared to Q2 2015. MM Despite the increased stock levels and easing of applicant registrations, rents across all regions of England rose in the quarter. All regions showed positive growth with London and the South achieving the highest increases. MM The market remains strong with June experiencing the highest level of applicant registrations since July 2015. MM Most significantly, the number of new instructions in the quarter was 16% ahead of Q2 2015, continuing the trend seen at the start of the year. With the increase in instructions outpacing the increased applicant registrations, this provided some good news for those seeking a property to rent. MM The continued increase in new instructions during the quarter has helped to drive our stock levels 5% higher than those seen in Q1, providing a greater level of choice to prospective tenants. MM The ratio of registered applicants to new instructions increased slightly to 6.6, remaining below the 7.5 seen in Q2 2015. MM London rents continue to remain significantly ahead of other parts of the country, with average agreed rent at the end of the quarter standing at £1,619, a 5% (£77) increase over March 2016, when the capital’s average rent stood at £1,542. MM Rents remained steady within the Eastern & Central region, increasing by £5 to £756 during the quarter. This being 1% down on the £764 seen in June 2015. MM The North peaked at £617 in June, up from £595 at the end of Q1, and showing a 4% (£22) increase over June 2015. MM Rental prices in the South achieved the highest gains in the quarter, increasing by 6% (£54) and ending Q2 at £895, some 16% higher than June 2015. MM With potential for the Brexit result to impact the residential sales market, it will be interesting to see if there is a significant uplift in letting activity in the coming quarter and the impact this may have on average rents, particularly in London and the South. 120 80 100 60 80 60 £900 £875 £925 £850 £900 £825 £875 £800 £500 £0 £594 £601 North Applicants registered per new instruction £550 £575 £525 £550 £600 £625 £575 £600 £754 Eastern & Central £450 £475 £450 South Average agreed rents £925 £850 £850 £790 £790 £730 London £500 £525£859 £844 £475 £500 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Jun-16 Oct-15 Sep-15 May-16 Sep-15 Aug-15 Apr-16 Aug-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 £1,568 £1,616 Jun-16 Jun-16 £625 £650 Q2 2016 May-16 May-16 £650 May-16 May-16 Number of Agreed Tenancies (Indexed) Apr-16 Apr-16 Average agreed rents (UK) Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 £1,500 £700 Feb-16 Feb-16 £700 £725 Jul-15 Mar-16 Jul-15 £686 Feb-16 £729 Jan-16 Jan-16 Q1 2016 Jan-16 £771 Number of agreed tenancies (Indexed) Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 Jun-16 Sep-15 Sep-15 May-16 Feb-16 Jul-15 Jul-15 Mar-16 Aug-15 Aug-15 Apr-16 Jan-16 60 Dec-15 Dec-15 £744 Dec-15 180 160 Nov-15 Nov-15 £1,000 Nov-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 Oct-15 May-16 May-16 Sep-15 Apr-16 Apr-16 Aug-15 180 Oct-15 Oct-15 £2,000 Dec-15 £814 80 60 Sep-15 Sep-15 Number of Agreed Tenancies (Indexed) Nov-15 £857 Aug-15 Aug-15 £600 Jun-16 Jun-16 Oct-15 £900 Jul-15 Jul-15 £643 Jun-16 Jun-16 67 Mar-16 Mar-16 Jul-15 £1,850 New applicants £1,800 £1,750 New applicants £1,700 £1,650 £1,600 £1,550 £1,500 £1,450 £1,400 £1,350 £1,300 May-16 May-16 78 May-16 May-16 Sep-15 89 Apr-16 Apr-16 Aug-15 25 75 Apr-16 Apr-16 50 100 Mar-16 Mar-16 Jul-15 100 150 75 125 Mar-16 Mar-16 125 175 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 New instructions Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 New instructions Feb-16 Feb-16 180 140 160 120 140 100 Jan-16 Jan-16 160 Dec-15 Dec-15 180 Nov-15 Nov-15 150 200 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 175 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 New applicants registered and new instructions (Indexed) Jul-15 200 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 5 Aug-15 Aug-15 56 Jul-15 0 Jul-15 25 Jul-15 0 50 Jul-15 Jun-1 Jun-16 May-1 May-16 Apr-1 Apr-16 Mar-1 Mar-16 Feb-1 Feb-16 Jan-1 Jan-16 Dec-1 Dec-15 Nov-1 Nov-15 Oct-1 Oct-15 Sep-1 Sep-15 Aug-1 Aug-15 Jul-1 Jul-15 5 Number of Agreed Tenancies (Indexed) Number of Agreed Tenancies (Indexed) 160 140 140 120 120 100 100 80 9 £925 £900 £925 £875 £900 £850 £875 £825 £850 £800 £825 £775 £800 £750 £775 £725 £750 Residential Lettings Number of Agreed Tenancies (Indexed) £625 MM Activity levels, in terms of tenancies agreed during Q2, were 4% higher than Q2 2015. £925 £900 £850 £790 £900 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Average agreed rents (London) North Eastern & Central South London Jun-16 May-16 £859 Apr-16 £844 Mar-16 £754 Feb-16 £744 Jan-16 £601 Dec-15 £594 Nov-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 £0 Q2 2016 £1,568 £1,616 Oct-15 May-16 May-16 £500 Q1 2016 Sep-15 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 £600 £1,850 £1,800 £1,750 £1,700 £1,650 £1,600 £2,000 £1,550 £1,500 £1,450 £1,500 £1,400 £1,350 £1,000 £1,300 Aug-15 £625 Jul-15 £650 Average agreed rents (North) Oct-15 Sep-15 Average agreed rents (South) Average agreed rents (Eastern & Central) £575 £1,850 £550 £1,800 £1,750 £525 £1,700 £500 £1,650 £1,600 £475 £1,550 £450 £1,500 £1,450 £1,400 £1,350 £1,300 Oct-15 £600 Sep-15 £643 Aug-15 £686 Aug-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 £729 £550 Jul-15 £775 £730 £750 £857 £670 £814 £610 £771 Jul-15 £730 £900 £825 £790 £800 £550 Oct-15 £850 £850 £610 Sep-15 MM Average rents rose by 2% in the quarter and are now marginally below Q2 last year. The average UK monthly rent for June was £841 compared to £855 in June 2015. £790 £875 £725 £670 £700 Nov-15 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 MM Although we saw some month on month reductions during the £450 quarter, the number of agreed tenancies increased by 2% when compared to Q1 2016. Sep-15 Jun-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 May-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Apr-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 £475 Jul-15 Agreed tenancies and average rents Continued Aug-15 £550 80 Aug-15 £625 120 £600 100 £575 Jul-15 £650 140 £1,850 £600 £1,800 £575 £1,750 £550 £1,700 £1,650 £525 £1,600 £500 £1,550 £1,500 £475 £1,450 £450 £1,400 £1,350 £1,300 Jul-15 160 £525 60 £500 Nov-15 Nov-15 £650 Oct-15 180 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 £550 Jul-15 Jul-15 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Feb-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Oct-15 Aug-15 £700 Aug-15 £725 Jul-15 £750 £725 £610 £700 Jul-15 £800 5 £775 13 The market has been impacted by two material events in 2016: stamp duty changes and the Brexit vote, yet changes in the mortgage market often take a while to have an impact. Whilst this is true of Brexit where the indicators show a slight dampening of activity in June but no material changes to date, the stamp duty change in April brought forward buy-to-let business into Q1 and as a result, Q2 has seen a material fall in buy-to-let purchase business. However, the good news is that the fall in buy-to-let activity has been compensated for by a commensurate growth in first-time buyer mortgage business. As a result, overall volumes have remained steady, quarter on quarter, and still well above 2015. It seems that so far, the Government’s aim of reducing buy-to-let investors activity to create space for more first-time buyers is working. However, it is early days and other factors including Brexit, potential rate changes and political turmoil could change this picture during Q3. Early signs in July would suggest more of the same, volumes recovering to pre-Brexit levels, buy-tolet purchase business remaining very subdued and residential business tracking positively. If a rate cut is forthcoming, as increasingly predicted, this should boost the residential market further but also encourage more existing mortgage holders to remortgage, as the differential between new rates and standard variable rates (assuming there is little lender movement as expected) widens. Adrian Scott, Group Mortgage Services Director 18 Home-mover mortgage activity grew by % in the quarter and by 8% on an annual basis 15 Adrian Scott, Group Mortgage Services Director Residential Number of first-time buyers Number of Residential remortgages Number of homemovers 400 160 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Number of buy-to-let remortgages Jan-16 Dec-15 250 Number of residential mortgages by type (Indexed) Nov-15 0 Number of buy-to-let purchases Jun-16 Jun-16 80 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 160 Oct-15 240 0 Sep-15 320 80 Oct-15 MM The remortgage sector remains particularly active and has delivered year on year growth of 49% at the end of the first six months of 2016. 320 480 240 Aug-15 MM The first-time buyer market followed a similar pattern and remained strong throughout the quarter, ending 25% up on Q1 and 40% up on Q2 2015. Number of homemovers Aug-15 MM Home-mover mortgage activity grew by 18% in the quarter and by 8% on an annual basis. Number of first-time buyers Number of Residential remortgages 400 Jul-15 MM A particular feature throughout Q2 was the consistency of activity across all mortgage types and with no material drop experienced in June. Indeed June 2016 was 3% ahead of March 2016. 480 Jul-15 MM Following the strong start to the year, the mortgage market continued to operate ahead of levels seen in 2015. Sep-15 Mortgages 200 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 May-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Apr-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Apr-16 Nov-15 Nov-15 Mar-16 Oct-15 Oct-15 Mar-16 Sep-15 -16 -16 r-16 r-16 -16 -16 -15 -15 Number of buy-to-let mortgages by type (Indexed) t-15 £145,000 £140,000 £135,000 £130,000 £125,000 £120,000 £145,000 £115,000 £140,000 £135,000 £110,000 £130,000 £105,000 £125,000 £100,000 £120,000 £95,000 £115,000 -15 0 Sep-15 50 Aug-15 Jul-15 0 100 Aug-15 MM The number of buy-to-let remortgages reduced to a lesser extent with Q2 down 7% on Q1 2016. 50 150 -15 MM Buy-to-let purchase activity reduced significantly in the quarter, by 37% compared to Q1 and with a similar reduction of 35% when compared to Q2 2015. Number of buy-to-let purchases 100 200 Jul-15 MM With Q1 2016 uplifted by the additional activity from investors seeking to avoid the stamp duty changes, the buy-to-let mortgage market experienced the anticipated reduction in activity during Q2, ending the first six months of 2016 on a par with 2015 overall. Number of buy-to-let remortgages 150 250 l-15 Buy to let FTB Home Mover BTL Remortgages BTL Purchases Remortgages Other 29% 8% 10% 27% 2% FTB 480 Home Mover 400 BTL Remortgages BTL Purchases 320 Remortgages 240 Other Number of first-time buyers Number of Residential remortgages Number of homemovers First-time buyers Home Mover Buy-to-let Remortgages Buy-to-let Purchases 21% Remortgages Other Number of buy-to-let remortgages 250 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Mortgage type split UK Q1 2016 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 14% 10% UK Q1 2016 FTB Home Mover BTL Remortgages BTL Purchases Remortgages Other 24% 1% Mortgage values Mortgage terms 150 M20% M The typical mortgage length FTB has seen a slight increase 34% in Q2, ending the quarter at Home 26.3Mover years, having steadily BTL Remortgages increased over the past 12 months. 8% BTL Purchases MM Mortgage values continue to climb steadily and broadly in line with average house price growth. 100 27% Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Remortgages Other 9% UK Q2 2016 26 25 24 23 22 1% 37% FTB Home Mover BTL Remortgages BTL Purchases Average mortgage term (Years) May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 20 Jul-15 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 21 Average mortgage value 19% Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Jul-15 £145,000 £140,000 £135,000 £130,000 £125,000 £120,000 £115,000 £110,000 £105,000 £100,000 £95,000 Aug-15 M 50 M Mortgage values averaged £147,010 in the second quarter of the year maintaining the level of increase seen in Q1, 0 with the measure up by 3% (£4,576) compared to the previous quarter, and 7% (£9,276) on Q2 2015. 7% 29% Number of buy-to-let purchases 200 ages es 1% Jun-16 0 Jul-15 80 2% Mortgage type split UK Q2 2016 160 Jul-15 ages es 23% UK Q2 2016 17 19% 20% 22% 1% 1% 2% 30% 37% 38% 7% 6% 9% 7% 7% 15% 27% 28% 22% Mortgages FTB FTB FTB Home Mover Home Home Mover Mover BTL Remortgages BTL BTL Remortgages Remortgages BTL Purchases BTL Purchases BTL Purchases Remortgages Remortgages Remortgages Other Other Other FTB FTB FTB Mover Home Home Home Mover Mover BTL Remortgages BTL BTLRemortgages Remortgages BTL Purchases BTL BTLPurchases Purchases Remortgages Remortgages Remortgages Other Other Other FTB FTB FTB Home Mover Home Home Mover Mover BTL Remortgages BTL BTL Remortgages Remortgages BTL Purchases BTL Purchases BTL Purchases Remortgages Remortgages Remortgages Other Other Other Scotland/North 1% FTB FTB FTB Mover Home Home Home Mover Mover BTL Remortgages BTL BTLRemortgages Remortgages BTL Purchases BTL BTLPurchases Purchases Remortgages Remortgages Remortgages Other Other Other 20% 22% 21% Continued 3% 2% 1% 1% 14% 2% 18% 23% 29% 35% 38% 9% 10% 9% 8% 10% 10% 29%26%27% North Q1 2016 South West Q1 2016 London Q1 2016 Mortgage type split Q2 2016 North Q1 2016 North North Q1 Q1 2016 2016 First-time buyer Home Mover Buy-to-let Remortgages Buy-to-let Purchases Remortgages Other Eastern 2% 1% 30% 29% 38% 6% 9% 7% 14% 15% 10%27% 22% 24% FTB FTB FTB Home Mover Home Home Mover Mover BTL Remortgages BTL BTL Remortgages Remortgages BTL Purchases BTL BTL Purchases Purchases Remortgages Remortgages Remortgages Other Other Other Midlands Q1 2016 Midlands Midlands Q1 Q1 2016 2016 South West Q1 2016 London Q1 2016 Regional picture UK Q1 2016 London 2% 1% 1% 18% 23% 20% 10% 8% 8% 10% 9% 10% MM With buy-to-let activity reducing, we have seen both the Midlands first-timeQ1buyer 2016 and home-mover sectors account Eastern Q1 2016 East Q1 2016 of activity in the second quarter for aSouth larger proportion of 2016. First-time buyer activity accounted for over a third of activity in the quarter, up 5% on Q1 2016 and, whilst this may be a short lived distortion, the year to date position shows first-time buyer activity accounting for 32% of transactions, up 2% on 2015. It will be interesting to see what impact the increased prospect of an interest rate reduction in the coming quarter may have on the split of activity in the market. 1% 2% Midlands FTB FTB FTB Mover Home Home Home Mover Mover BTL Remortgages BTL BTLRemortgages Remortgages BTL Purchases BTL BTLPurchases Purchases Remortgages Remortgages Remortgages Other Other Other UK mortgage type split 1% 2% 29% 35% 34% 26%27% 27% FTB FTB FTB Home Mover Home Home Mover Mover BTL Remortgages BTL BTL Remortgages Remortgages BTL Purchases BTL BTL Purchases Purchases Remortgages Remortgages Remortgages Other Other Other Wales/South West South West Q1 2016 South South West West Q1 Q1 2016 2016 MM First-time buyer activity was strongest in the South West (38%) and weakest in London (22%); the North had the highest proportion of home mover activity (28%), with the smallest proportion located in London (22%). For those seeking to remortgage, the East had the highest relative amount of activity (23%), while the South West continued to see the quietest remortgaging activity (19%). Proportionately, London continues to lead the buy-to-let boom, with the capital boasting the highest proportion of buy-to-let remortgages (15%) Eastern Q1 2016 East Q1 2016 andSouth buy-to-let purchases (9%). The buy-to-let purchase UK Q2 2016 market was weakest in the South West (6%). South East 1% FTB FTB FTB Mover Home 21% 22% 2% 30% 29% FTB FTB Home Home Mover Mover London Q1 2016 Figures for Q2 repossessions are not published until mid-August, however, our own data suggests that levels of new repossessions have remained static during Q2 and figures are almost identical for the same period in 2015. The number of repossessions in the first quarter of 2016 was 2,100 (1,500 home-owner, 600 buy-to-let), meaning that the repossession rate is the lowest on record, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. If this rate continues throughout 2016, it would put the annual number of repossessions at 8,400, lower than any year since 1982 (but in 1982 there were only 6.9 million mortgages, against 11.1 million mortgages today). Mortgage arrears also continued to fall. For the first time in more than a decade, the number of mortgages in arrears of 2.5% or more fell below the 100,000 mark, with 96,200 loans in arrears at the end of March, down from 101,700 at the end of December, and 111,200 at the end of the first quarter of 2015. Even the number of mortgages in the most serious arrears band of 10% or more, which has remained fairly static while the lower arrears bands have declined, fell a little during the quarter. Following the rush to beat changes to the stamp duty deadline in April, sales have returned to normal levels. Sale price performance vs valuation continued to be very strong in Q2. The Brexit result could affect buyer confidence, with competition amongst buyers potentially most affected, especially in “best bid” scenarios. During Q2 we have launched a number of pilots with our lender clients for our Assisted Sales Scheme (ASS). The ASS is offered to customers who have reached, or are reaching, the end of their interest only term with no vehicle for repayment. Simon Matthews, Managing Director of AMG Homebuyer/Condition Report/Flat Mortgage/Remortgage Valuation/House BTL Mortgage Valuation/Bungalow Homebuyer/Condition Report/Flat 41% Repossession Valuation/Apartment BTL Mortgage Valuation/Bungalow Building Survey/Land Repossession Valuation/Apartment Other Building Survey/Land Other 11% New Instructions 19 Asset Management Simon Matthews, Managing Director of AMG New instructions %Mortgage/Remortgage Valuation/House MM Houses accounted for 69% of new instructions during Q2 2016, the same as in Q1 2016. Homebuyer/Condition Report/FlatMortgage/Remortgage Valuation/House BTL Mortgage Valuation/Bungalow Homebuyer/Condition Report/Flat MM Overall, the profile of new instructions remained in line with 40% Repossession Valuation/Apartment BTL Mortgage Valuation/Bungalow Q1 2016, with flats accounting for 24% of total new business. Building Survey/Land Repossession Valuation/Apartment Bungalows saw an uptick to 8% in June, 2% above June Other Building Survey/Land 2015. Other MM Houses continue to account for the majority of new instructions in Q2, 3% higher than Q2 2015. 18% New Instructions Cash First-time buyer Nothing to sell Buy-to-let/Chain Other Purchase type Completions by purchaser type (Q2 2016) MM Cash continues to account for the largest proportion of distressed completions in Q2, with 39% of all repossessed properties purchased by cash buyers – dropping 2% from Q1 2016. Cash First-time buyer Nothing to sell Buy-to-let Chain Other MM First-time buyers remain keen to step onto the property ladder with their activity accounting for 17% of purchases. This was Mortgage/Remortgage Valuation/House a marked increase on the 11% of Q1 and well ahead of the Homebuyer/Condition Report/Flat 12% seen in Q2 2015. BTL Mortgage Valuation/Bungalow Mortgage/Remortgage Valuation Repossession Valuation/Apartment MM Buy-to-let investor activity was slightly below historical levels, Homebuyer/Condition Report down 1% in the quarter to 6%. Building Survey/Land BTL Mortgage Valuation Other 100% Repossession Valuation Building Survey Other Completions by purchaser type (Q1 2016) Completions by P Q2 delivered some strong results in the survey and valuation sector, contributing to an 11% rise, year to date, in transaction levels. This reflects the strong housing market and increased lending levels over the period. Over the last quarter we saw this rise in transactions manifest itself in an increased divergence in the performance of surveying firms across the sector. For example, Connells Survey & Valuation delivered a significantly faster reporting service, 4.4 day average in June and 26% better than the market. Alongside this, our reporting service quality was sustained at an average 91% for the quarter, compared with 78% across the market. Whilst it is very early days and we have yet to see any major new trends established, the EU referendum result does appear to have impacted activity in the sector, with daily transaction volumes down c.10% on recent highs. Based on market activity overall, we have no evidence to suggest there will be a significant sustained drop in house prices. We think it more likely that there may be an easing in the level of house price inflation in the short term. Regardless of any Brexit impact the markets will adjust and current uncertainty will subside. We expect that the summer months will test the industry further in maintaining service standards, with the usual challenges experienced from delayed property access and limited surveyor availability given the peak holiday period. Overall, we retain a positive outlook for the coming quarter. Ross Bowen, Managing Director, Connells Survey & Valuation 21 Survey & Valuation Ross Bowen, Managing Director, Connells Survey & Valuation Mortgage valuations Average valuation MM A strong Q2 performance resulted in the number of mortgage valuations rising 7% on Q1 2015, and 11% when compared to Q2 2015. June delivered a particularly positive result being 10% ahead of June 2015. MM Average house prices recorded by estate agents have continued to rise and we have seen similar increases during this quarter. The average valuation price at the end of Q2 was 3% higher than the end of Q1 2016, and on an annual basis 7% ahead of June 2015. MM In line with the consistent activity seen in the mortgage sector, our volumes have been rising steadily during the first half of the year. MM Repossession valuations continue at very low levels and are down 29% on the first six months of 2015. Surveys MM Although the number of surveys carried out in June was down 7% compared to June 2015, the segment continued to show annual growth, up 3% on Q2 2015. MM Surveys as a percentage of overall activity reduced by 1% compared to the first six months of 2015 however, year to date surveys remain ahead of 2015 in volume terms. Buy to let MM As expected, investor and landlord activity reduced by 30% in the quarter with buy-to-let valuations dropping back to levels similar to Q2 2015. This reduction reflects the overall dynamics of the buy-to-let market this year. MM June experienced a drop of 10% in buy-to-let valuations as compared to last year, but year to date we remain 35% ahead of 2015. MM The average property valuation in Q2 was £260,846, up 7% (£17,371) on Q2 2015. Service experience MM Average reporting turnaround time of 4.3 days was achieved in Q2, a 0.1 day improvement on Q1 and well ahead of the Q2 market average of 5.6 days. MM The level of post valuation queries, one of the key measures of service quality, remained below 9% throughout the quarter. £200,000 74% £230,000 12% £220,000 11% £210,000 Mortgage/Remortgage Valuation Homebuyer/Condition Report 1000 BTL Mortgage Valuation Repossession Valuation Building Survey800 Other 20 18 18 Number of surveys (Indexed) Number of BTL Valuations Sep-15 Sep-15 Post valuation queries 25 22 22 20 Jun-16 Jun-16 Jun-16 Jun-16 29 27 27 25 May-16 May-16 34 31 31 29 May-16 May-16 Number of Repossession Valuations Number of Repossession Valuations Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Connells S&V Connells S&V Apr-16 Apr-16 Jun-16 May-16 Apr-16 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 Jul-15 Apr-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Jul-15 Jun-16 May-16 Connells S&V Connells S&V Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Number of Surveys38 38 36 36 34 Nov-15 Nov-15 600 £250,000 Jun-16 Oct-15 Oct-15 May-16 150 Apr-16 Jul-15 Jul-15 25% 25% 20% 20% Number of Mortgage Valuations 15% 15% 10% 10% 5% 5% 0% 0% Aug-15 Aug-15 200 Mar-16 45 100 Mar-16 90 150 Feb-16 Number of Surveys 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 2 2 1 1 0 0 Jul-15 Jul-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 Apr-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Mar-16 Feb-16 Feb-16 Jan-16 Jan-16 Number of Mortgage Valuations Feb-16 400 £240,000 Jan-16 135 Dec-15 Jun-16 Jun-16 May-16 May-16 180 Nov-15 Oct-15 Apr-16 Apr-16 400 Jan-16 Jun-16 May-16 Sep-15 Mar-16 Mar-16 800 100 Dec-15 Jun-16 Apr-16 Number ofvaluations BTL Valuations (Indexed) Number of buy-to-let 0 Aug-15 Feb-16 Feb-16 Number of BTL Valuations Nov-15 Oct-15 May-16 Apr-16 Mar-16 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 Number of mortgage valuations (Indexed) -16 -16 0 Sep-15 50 Aug-15 Feb-16 100 -16 1% 1% 1% 45 -16 £260,000 90 Mar-16 £230,000 200 Feb-16 800 £260,000 Jul-15 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 600 50 -16 Jan-16 Dec-15 Dec-15 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 150 1000 Nov-15 Nov-15 Oct-15 Oct-15 Sep-15 Sep-15 Aug-15 Aug-15 200 -16 £240,000 Jul-15 135 200 -15 £250,000 Jul-15 180 -15 £200,000 0 -15 £210,000 -15 £220,000 Aug-15 Aug-15 1000 -15 0 Jul-15 0 200 Jul-15 0 Jul-15 500 Jul-15 0 -15 45 Market Market Turnaround-time Number of Surveys Market Market 23 Average house prices, mortgage values & rents: Q2 2016 Average mortgage value Q2 2016 £147,010 3 Up % from Q1 2016 (£137,734) Up 7% from Q2 2015 (£137,734) Average rent (North) £601 Average rent (East & Central) £754 Average rent (London) Average house price Q2 2016 £255,917 4 Up % from Q1 2016 (£245,650) Up 9% from Q2 2015 (£234,447) £1,616 Average rent (South) £859 Economic Outlook With continued growth forecast and sustained consumer confidence, the economic outlook for the UK at the end of the first quarter remained positive, despite economic indicators in some overseas markets faltering. The EU referendum sat poised on the horizon, providing the potential for short term distraction and an opportunity for the country to confirm its chosen path for the future. In advance of the referendum, both those for and against Brexit made much of the potential economic impact that Brexit would bring. And, whilst the nature and scale of this varied greatly, the general consensus agreed that a vote for Brexit would lead to a reduction in economic growth in the short term as both investment and consumption would be directly impacted by the increased uncertainty that would follow. Long term prospects would also be impacted by any decisions by businesses to delay or curtail their investment activity. With the Brexit decision made, and additional political uncertainties introduced, the markets reacted as expected with heavy falls seen in both stock and currency prices. Whilst this short term reaction has impacted different industry sectors in different ways, there has already been a noticeable impact on those within the property sector. The financial markets are resilient and there are already signs that some of these initial falls may be short lived. However, the Governor of the Bank of England has acknowledged that the economic outlook for the UK has deteriorated, and with no ‘silver bullet’ uncertainty is likely to remain a feature for many months as the economic outlook for the UK remains unsettled. The extent to which the projected economic impacts will or will not materialise remains to be seen; but policymakers have signalled their intent to provide fresh monetary stimulus to the economy through the injection of extra capital to support lending to UK households and businesses. We would expect some of the short term uncertainties to clear in the coming quarter, and with continued Government support for housebuilders, and demand for housing remaining high, there could yet be some upside to the housing market later this year. 25 Methodology Connells Group analyses detailed data from its estate agency, land & new homes, lettings, mortgage, survey and valuation and asset management businesses from October 2012 to today. Each month, the researchers analyse tens of thousands of registrations, instructions, applications, approvals and valuations and use these trends to publish a quarterly report which reflects trends across the entire property spectrum. Where commercial sensitivity may be an issue, figures are indexed to show trends without publishing raw data. CONFIDENTIAL This report is produced for illustration purposes and is indicative only. No responsibility is accepted for reliance on this report. You should always seek independent professional advice. Statistics and extrapolations obtained from various sources. These are not always referenced and may not be comprehensive. E&O excepted. © Copyright Connells Limited 2013 – 2016. All rights reserved. About Us Connells Group is one of the largest and most successful estate agency and property services providers in the UK. Founded in 1936 and with a network of over 580 branches nationwide, the Group combines residential sales and lettings expertise with a range of consumer and corporate services including new homes, mortgage services, conveyancing, EPC provision, surveying, corporate lettings, asset management, land & planning, LPA receivers and auctions. Alongside the Connells brand, the Group trades under other well-known and trusted local names including Allen & Harris, Bagshaws Residential, Barnard Marcus, Brown & Merry, Fox & Sons, Jones & Chapman, Manners & Harrison, Roger Platt, Shipways, Swetenhams, William H Brown, Sharman Quinney, Pattison Lane, Burchell Edwards, Ashley Adams, Atkinson Stilgoe, Peter Alan, Thomas George, Rook Matthews Sayer, Paul Dubberley, Gilbert & Thomas, Hurfords, Knight Partnership, Hatched.co.uk and Gascoigne Halman. Corporate clients benefit from Connells’ broad range of award-winning services and depth of experience and expertise. We work with some of the UK’s leading organisations and institutions on property and land acquisition and disposal, asset management, mortgage sales and distribution, corporate lettings, auctions, conveyancing and surveying, to name a few. The Connells Group is a subsidiary of the Skipton Building Society, one of the UK’s largest providers of financial services and products. connellsgroup.co.uk @connellsgroup Our Estate Agency Brands Our Business Brands Contacts Estate Agency Mortgages For more information, please contact David Plumtree, Group Chief Executive (Estate Agency) on 01525 218669 or email [email protected] For more information, please contact Karen Faulkner, Mortgage Services Development Manager on 01525 218669 or email [email protected] Land & New Homes Asset Management For more information, please contact Roger Barrett, Group Land Director on 01604 622444 or email [email protected] For more information, please contact Simon Matthews, Managing Director of AMG on 01483 456231 or email [email protected] Residential Lettings Survey & Valuation For more information, please contact Stephen Nation, Group Lettings Managing Director on 01525 218669 or email [email protected] For more information, please contact Ross Bowen, Managing Director of Connells Survey & Valuation on 01525 218630 or email [email protected] connellsgroup.co.uk @connellsgroup