One in nine homes listed for sale has previously been rented out – Zoopla

Round one in 9 (11%) properties listed on the market on Zoopla has beforehand been rented out, in keeping with evaluation by the property web site.

This proportion has decreased from a current peak of 1 in seven (14%) in 2020, when rental costs had been falling in main cities corresponding to London, Zoopla stated.

The web site prompt that some landlords are “seeking to rationalise their portfolios within the face of upper mortgage charges”.

Its report stated: “5 years in the past, round half of those properties returned to the rental market as unsold or purchased by one other investor.

“Nonetheless, this proportion has dropped to a 3rd extra just lately.”

Ex-rental properties could also be significantly interesting to first-time consumers, though in some instances they might should be ready to deal with a “doer-upper”.

They’ve common asking costs which are usually round 1 / 4 decrease than properties which have been lived in by owner-occupiers, Zoopla stated, at £190,000 on common versus round £250,000.

The report added {that a} “build-up of market momentum this spring is prone to weaken within the second half of the 12 months with the dimensions of the influence relying on how a lot borrowing prices improve”.

Richard Donnell, government director at Zoopla stated: “There are nonetheless fewer consumers out there than a 12 months in the past, however gross sales are nonetheless being agreed, with extra properties to select from.

“Sellers shouldn’t get carried away by extra constructive information on the housing market and want to cost their properties realistically if they’re critical about shifting house in 2023.

“House consumers stay worth delicate with one eye firmly on the outlook for the financial system, the price of residing and the trajectory of mortgage charges which seem prone to edge increased within the coming weeks.”

Man Gittins, CEO of property agent Foxtons stated extra renters who’re able to purchase have accelerated their search “given the intense provide and demand imbalance within the lettings market”.

He added: “New purchaser exercise has led to constantly increased viewing numbers than we’ve seen at any level within the final six years.

“In reality, our purchaser numbers 12 months up to now are monitoring very carefully with the customer numbers this time final 12 months, which most individuals would check with as essentially the most buoyant market we’ve seen since 2016. Our rising pipeline of enterprise offers us each expectation that the remainder of this 12 months will proceed alongside this constructive monitor.”

Matt Thompson, head of gross sales at property agent Chestertons stated: “Regardless of financial uncertainty, the 12 months began with an extremely excessive variety of home hunters eager to discover a property.”