Top properties to rise above stagnating house prices

The best town and country houses will be unaffected by a wider house price stagnation in 2005, a new report has predicted.

12:55 17 December 2004

The best town and country houses will be unaffected by a wider house price stagnation in 2005, a new report has predicted.

The Buying Solution, one of the UK's premier buying services, has said for the top properties competition will remain strong as demand from an increased number of buyers at the top end of the market looks set to be coupled with historically low interest rates.

Philip Selway, head of country buying at The Buying Solution, explained: "The Buying Solution does not consider that property values, particularly at the top end of the market, will fall as we move into the New Year.

"Interest rates remain low, as does unemployment, and there is potential for large city bonuses in January/February.

"We believe that the very best quality properties, where there are no obvious blemishes and with all of the boxes ticked, will continue to sell well, with high levels of competition from buyers.

"As always, the demand is fuelled by good communications and commuting times to London. Motorway and railway links from the west of the country are good and as a result buyers where there are such communications are always prepared to push their area of search a little further away from London."

The Buying Solution offers an independent service for residential property from London flats and houses to large country estates and farms.