Brokers expect first-time buyer increase

This is the first time in 18 months intermediaries have forecast positive growth. While growth levels remain very modest, with activity for first time buyers up on average by 0.9% and for home movers up 0.7%, this may reflect a turning point as intermediaries start to see a symbolically important return of confidence and activity to the market. Since summer 2007, brokers' projections for first-time buyer and home mover business have been consistently downbeat. They reached a low point in May last year when brokers expected business from first-time buyers to decline by almost 5% and from h...