The property market has been tipped to gradually improve in 2010, something that could lead to a rise in demand for new flooring products.
Ray Boulger, the senior technical manager at John Charcol, stated that a number of factors that have shaped the market in 2009 will be prominent in 2010, such as low interest rates, fewer repossessions than previously expected and an ongoing lack of mortgage finance.
However, he said, there are some signs of easing in the latter case, stating: "Over the last two or three months we have seen more lenders coming into the 80, 85 and 90 per cent market."
At the same time, he predicted, there will be a rise in prices driven by growing demand, with this being pushed by people who no longer have insufficient equity in their homes to fund a new purchase.
Evidence that mortgage lending is still on the rise emerged last week, when the British Bankers' Association disclosed that 44,713 mortgages were agreed in November, up from 42,552 in October.
