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Number of homes sold in 2009 falls
Thousands fewer homes were sold in the county last year as first-time buyers struggled to get onto the housing market and homeowners found it harder to sell their properties.
Figures released by the Land Registry show that in 2008 9,301 homes were sold in Northamptonshire.
Last year the number dropped to 4,652.
The total value of homes sold in the county in 2008 was 1.6bn and this fell to 768m in 2009.
Chairman of the Northamptonshire Estate Agents Association, Charles Orlebar, said the property market in the county varied from town to town. He said: "There have been difficulties with the housing market in different parts of the county.
"However, if you take somewhere like Oundle, I'm certain you would find things were very good there and they haven't seen any significant problems.
"Areas like Kettering and Wellingborough have been quite different and they have had a hard time.
"It all comes down to affordability and supply. I would say for the first three months of the year we have seen a very normal market place.
"If we still had the loose lending nature which was taking place in 2007 we would be in a booming market now, but that is not the case.
"I think of 100 buyers who want to, only about 50 per cent of those can do.
"There will still be a lot of sellers out there who cannot sell or who could, but can't bridge the gap to what they want."
Mr Orlebar said while it appears more homes were sold in December, the Land Registry figures would indicate completion dates and many people looked to move into homes by December.
Other estate agents said that the last two years had been difficult.
Simon Musto, from Simon Musto Estate Agents in Kettering, said: "I think 2008 was bad for us but last year, from Easter until Christmas we did quite well.
"However, so far this year things haven't been easy.
"There is the talk of the double dip recession which is probably having an impact.
"At the moment, we seem to have one good week and one worse week.
"I think that Kettering is faring quite well compared with Corby and Wellingborough."
Debbie Winsor, from Haart estate agents in Rushden said that 2009 had been a difficult year.
However, she said that the company had still averaged about four sales per week.
She added that there was still a lot of uncertainty in the housing market but houses at the bottom end of the market were still proving popular.
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Monday 13 February 2012
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