<p><span>The change to the stamp duty threshold is “good news for everyone in the housing market”, </span><span>Gráinne</span><span> Gilmore, head of research at Zoopla, said this week.</span></p> <p><span>Speaking at HBF’s second Live Events Webinar, Gilmore commented that the stamp duty holiday on properties in England and Northern Ireland priced up to £500,000 - as announced in the chancellor’s summer statement – would be a “boost to the housing market and wider economy”, supporting “pricing and activity over the next year”.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>For the “outer commuter zone” of London and up into areas including Hull and Cheshire, the dropped tax would mean savings of up to £15,000, Gilmore said.</span><span></span></p> <p><span><span>But asked whether house prices would be impacted after March 31, with both the stamp duty holiday and the existing Help to Buy scheme due to end, she commented: “What we won’t know is what the economy is doing at that point. We can’t rule out more government support.”</span></span><span></span></p> <p><span><span>Gilmore also revealed a 66% surge in new homes demand since the market reopened in mid-May, with first time buyer interest jumping 87%.</span></span><span></span></p> <p><span><span>Also speaking at the webinar, David Livesey, group ceo at estate agency Connells, reflected on the strength of homes demand since lockdown. …