Kent developer Hillreed Homes has seen a remarkable increase in turnover through the summer months, as sales and marketing director Dean Markall explains:

Growing optimism that the UK is on its way out of a recession is not misguided, according to a Kent developer’s latest turnover figures.

Hillreed Homes, which has offices in College Road, Maidstone, saw an increased turnover of 60.36 per cent based on its July sales figures compared with July 2008. Even in the notoriously quieter month of August, the company showed an increase of 35.98 per cent in sales turnover compared with August 2008.

It comes as the Bank of England’s Trends in Lending report said this week that lenders expect the availability of mortgages to increase in the coming months as the outlook for the UK economy improves.

Hillreed Homes’ sales and marketing director Dean Markall said: “These are remarkable figures and show, despite the doom-mongers, there are still a lot of people who want to move and who have the wherewithal to do so.

“Each year we build on average 150 units, and though prices were reduced for the first four to five months of the year, the actual sales turnover figures are up by a remarkable percentage.

“This shows properties sell if they are priced sensibly, in fine locations and built to a design and style that people want to live in.”

Swale Borough Council has just granted outline planning permission to Hillreed Homes for about 320 homes on the edge of the village of Iwade, near Sittingbourne.

Mr Markall added: “At the latter part of 2008 and the beginning of 2009 we were offering a variety of incentives to help buyers secure the home of their dreams.

“However, in recent months we have found buyers coming to us in a position to proceed.

“Without a doubt properties are at a very good price level for purchasers to invest and we have found this is increasing the number of visitors to our show homes and, as a result, a far higher level of sales turnover than in the same months last year.”