当所有人都期望房价都涨的时候,房价肯定跌。
快了,71%。
Seventy-one per cent of buyers believe house prices will continue to rise, according to the latest research from Yorkshire Bank.
Confidence in house price growth has now reached its highest levels since April 2004, when 73 per cent believed that prices would carry on climbing.
Back then, the rate of growth did drastically drop off in the latter half of 2004 in response to four interest rate hikes over the course of that year.
Since last August, rates have risen three times, and with January's shock quarter point increase yet to fully impact, economists are hedging their bets as to how much of a slowdown house prices will experience in 2006.
Buyers are also reflecting this cautious outlook in their willingness to haggle. Mindful that the market may cool, one in five (21 per cent), says Yorkshire Bank, are now weighing in with a low initial offer.
In comparison, only one in eight (12 per cent) said they would immediately offer above the asking price on their desired property.
Buyers Looking To Add Value
In addition, it was found that 25 per cent of buyers are more inclined towards renovation projects in the hopes of adding value to their investment in a potentially slowing market.
As Gary Lumby, Yorkshire Bank's Head of Retail, commented: "Last year the housing market exceeded most people's expectations and it appears the confidence homeowners took from this has carried through to 2007.
"Although three Bank of England interest rate rises don't appear to have dented this confidence, the market is less robust. We need to wait to see how it reacts to January's unexpected rate rise.
"Buyers who are now looking for properties they can do up are using this uncertainty to their advantage by trying their luck with a lower initial offer - and only raising it if necessary. Should these offers below the asking price be accepted by sellers then we may see prices levelling off."
