(Reuters) -British homebuilder Persimmon reported a 15% rise in its forward sales position on Thursday, helped by an increase in sales outlets in a challenging market.
Although uncertainty over property taxes ahead of the November 26 UK budget has weighed on housing market activity during the key autumn selling season, marketing steps such as reduced deposits and competitive pricing have supported demand for Persimmon.
For the July 1 to November 2 period, the company’s net private sales rate per outlet per week rose to 0.76 from 0.70 a year earlier.
Current forward sales, including legal completions since July 1, rose 15% to 2.79 billion pounds ($3.74 billion), with private forward sales up 15% at 2.09 billion pounds.
The company said it launched its second shared equity product, Rezide, during the period, complementing its earlier New Build Boost scheme.
It also noted some softening in the market since the summer, with consumer confidence hurt by uncertainties ahead of the upcoming government budget.
Despite these challenges, Persimmon said it remains on track to deliver 2025 profit and home completions in line with market expectations.
($1 = 0.7451 pounds)
(Reporting by Raechel Thankam Job in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
