TWO sell-out developments from a Wigan home builder support positive news from the national housing market.

It seems Wigan home buyers are leading a return to the market, says Carol Nomdedeu, sales manager for McInerney Homes North West.

Carol says: “We’ve completed on all of our apartments at The Groves in Ashton-in-Makerfield and we have just one home left at Verde Park off Woodhouse Lane close to the centre of Wigan. That’s fantastic news in a difficult market!

“The final home at Verde Park is a beautiful four-bedroom detached house with en-suite and integrated garage priced at £206,995 - or £155,246 with our brilliant 75-25% shared equity scheme!”

McInerney’s 75-25% scheme is not a shared ownership scheme. The customer still owns 100% of their new home while McInerney has a second charge on the property for up to 25% of its value for 10 years. The home buyer pays no interest or rent in that period. Basically it’s 25% of you new home for free for 10 years, with no catch.

Carol says: “There are signs that real value-for-money, a record low interest rate and a bit of movement from lenders is having some affect on the market and Wigan home buyers are leading the comeback. We’re a home builder based in Pemberton, so we know the area well and the local market bears witness to recent national comment and statistics.”

Margaret Beckett would certainly agree with Carol’s comments after the housing minister suggested there were signs of a property market ‘upturn’. She even warned there was “considerable pent-up and growing demand” for houses and urged first-time buyers and young families to start researching their options now, to avoid the “mad rush” as the housing market shows strong signs of picking up.

Carol adds: “The ‘mad rush’ is gathering pace in Wigan; driving my regular route to our head office in Pemberton this week I saw three properties with ‘sold’ signs outside, which had all been on the market for some time.”

February’s edition of Rightmove’s housing price index showed a 1.2 per cent increase in asking prices and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors RICS research for February said that owner occupiers are returning to the market looking for bargains.

The Groves development in Ashton-in-Makerfield has transformed the former site of the Texaco filling station off Wigan Road, and features 36 contemporary one and two-bedroom apartments.

Verde Park boasts a wonderful mix of 84 one and two-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom family homes next to the Liverpool Leeds Canal.

To find out more about the last new home available at Verde Park call 01942 768 025 or log onto www.mcinerneyhomes.com.