<p><span>Persimmon has seen a “strong start” to the year, it said today (April 28), with its current forward sales 23% ahead of last year and 11% improved on the same point in 2019</span>.</p> <p><span>Giving a trading update on the year to date, the volume housebuilder said its current forward sales position was £3 billion against 2020’s £2.4 billion. The average selling price of private homes in the order book was £252,000 compared to last year’s £244,500.</span></p> <p><span>As expected, given the timing of the pandemic, Persimmon’s average private sales rate for the year to date is “well ahead” of last year, but still</span><span> around</span><span> 17% ahead of 2019, the business said.</span></p> <p><span>Persimmon’s build rates currently remain at pre-Covid levels, while its active outlet numbers are around 15% down on 2019 and the first half of 2020, “in line with our strategy of mitigating the risks associated with the cycle”. </span></p> <p><span>It expects its sales outlet network to remain “stable”, at around 300 outlets on average for the year, “allowing for the robust sales rates being experienced”. </span></p> <p><span>The business also said it remained on track in its first half to deliver new homes volumes close to those of H1 2019, with …