The latest Agency Express Property Activity Index from property firm Agency Express showed that February’s figure was the highest level of sales achieved since March 2008.
The North East saw its highest month for house sales level since August 2007, London since October 2007 and the North West since November 2007.
Every region except Central England saw substantial month-on-month increases in house sales with the North West, East Anglia, London, the South West and the South East all seeing sales activity more than double that seen in January.
Nottingham was the city that experienced the greatest increase at 206.3% – with monthly house sales trebling compared to January. Other notable rises, where house sales at least doubled, were seen in Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge, Colchester and Glasgow.
Further encouragement that the housing market is regaining its buoyancy can be found in the number of ‘For Sale’ boards that were erected in February.
Across the UK there was a 91.5% increase in the number of boards going up compared to January and compared to February last year, there was an increase of 64.9%.
Stephen Watson, managing director of Agency Express, said: “Whilst we expected February to be a better month for house sales than January, the levels we have seen have exceeded our expectations. It appears that the growing economic optimism has permeated the housing market and people are making the decision to move.”
