'Many factors affect housing market health'
CONSUMER confidence is key to the health of the housing market, the Guernsey Housing Association chief executive has said.
Following comments by Vijay Wiltshire of Wiltshire properties, who accused the GHA of over-supplying housing and causing the current market depression, Steve Williams said there were a range of factors at play, but the association providing a net 200 extra homes over 13 years was not adversely affecting the market.
'The housing market in terms of activity, house prices and rents is affected by many factors. Among them the bigger issues are the supply of housing and demand from customers, the health of the economy and hence people's financial confidence and their salaries,' said Mr Williams.
'The supply of mortgage finance from banks and brokers, mortgage interest rates, the level of movement of people in and out of the island and population growth or decline demographic changes over time.'
