Property news – Interest in UK market grew in March

New buyer interest edged up in March, says Rics
Interest in the UK housing market edged up in March according to a new survey.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said that, during the month, 9% more surveyors reported a rise in inquiries from potential buyers than those reporting a fall.

Rics said the warmer weather encouraged some potential buyers, while others wanted to snap up properties before a holiday from stamp duty ended. Read more on this story

Survey reveals average age of first-time buyers
Where you live can make up to eight years difference in the time it takes to get on to the property ladder, according to research by Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks.

The average first-time buyer in Britain as a whole is now 30 but that masks big regional differences around the country. Read more on this story

Being Modern: Open-house viewings
Easter weekend marks the beginning of the spring house-buying season. For vendors, that means prowling the floors, to pick mercilessly away at imagined fluff, before unlocking the doors of their pristine homes to the mud-trampling feet of prospective buyers. But how best to diminish the disruption – and wipe away the thought that all those hours spent polishing have been lain to waste by filthy soles? By inviting as many potential owners as possible in one go. Read more on this story