Will House Prices Rise in 2012 ?

According to the latest Housing Market Confidence tracker from Halifax, 29% of Britons think that house prices will rise rather than fall in 2012. The research shows Londoners with the most optimistic outlook while the North East, North West and South West being the most pessimistic. 

Job worries and raising a deposit are the main hurdles to home buying

Over half of those questioned identified difficulties in raising a deposit (57%) and concerns about job security (55%) as the main obstacles to buying a property. Respondents also picked out household finances (33%) and the general availability of mortgages (30%) as major barriers to buying a property. 

The cost of renting is expected to continue to rise in 2012

Significantly more Britons believe that private rents will rise than fall over the next 12 months. 61% predict that the cost of renting in the private sector will increase over the next twelve months, compared to just 3% who think that rents will fall.