Sluggish March for the housing market

The housing market remained stuck in the doldrums last month, with a slight downturn in property demand, according to a survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Some 6 per cent more surveyors reported a fall, rather than a rise, in new-buyer inquiries during March, with the survey finding "low sales levels and falling demand". Although negative at a national level, there were some regional bright spots, with Scotland, Wales and the South-east of England seeing steady increases in new-buyer inquiries.