North West and North Wales housebuilder Anwyl has reported a positive first month of trading for 2024, with “green shoots” appearing in the housing market.
Anwyl said its January sales had been strong, up 55% on sales for the same period in 2023.
It follows positive news around competition increasing within the mortgage market, resulting in some of the UK’s biggest lenders reducing rates.
On target to build around 800 new homes in the current financial year, across 17 live developments, Anwyl’s Homes division is split into two regional companies: Anwyl Homes Cheshire and North Wales, based in Ewloe, Flintshire and Anwyl Homes Lancashire, based in Chorley.
The family-run firm operates across Cheshire, North Wales, Shropshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. Housing managing director Mathew Anwyl said:
“Sales in 2024 have exceeded expectations and there are some really positive signs in the market. Cancellations are on a downward trend, while visitor levels to developments and web traffic are both up.
“It’s also been really encouraging to see first time buyers surging back into the market, buoyed by better mortgage availability and steadier property prices and interest rates.
“We’re looking forward to building on this positive start to the year as we move into the busy spring selling season. We’re due to launch show homes at Parr Meadows in Eccleston, Lancashire, at the end of the month and will open a new show home at our Queen’s Meadow development around Easter in Shavington, near Crewe, followed by a new ‘Orme’ view home in the spring at our Parc Bodafon development in Llandudno, with spectacular sea views.”
Anwyl’s financial year runs to September 30, 2024 and the firm is currently holding a healthy 60% forward sold position. Mathew added:
“With a general election on the horizon, it’s acknowledged across the political spectrum that the country still needs to build more homes, and we are primed to contribute towards those long-term goals, with our intention as a business to continue to grow in a sustainable and measured way.”
Anwyl has a number of other sites in the planning pipeline it hopes to bring on stream as new developments later this year and into 2025. It is planning to launch sales at its Five Oaks development in Shrewsbury in the spring.
