Demand is outstripping supply for English Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) entitlements, with non-severely disadvantaged area (non-SDA) entitlements consistently selling for about £200/unit.
There are now just three full weeks left before the entitlement trading window closes in England on 16 May and demand is strong.
Hugh Townsend, of Townsend Chartered Surveyors, said prices were changing daily because of the short supply, but were currently about £195-£210/unit (plus VAT) level.
See also: Strong demand for limited supply of BPS entitlements
The highest price he had seen was £275/unit, but this was for a very small block of three or four entitlements.
“It’s like the last week of trading normally is,” he said.
“At this point last year, the price for non-SDA entitlements was £150-£165/unit.”
Quick sales
Ian Potter, of Ian Potter Marketing Services, said blocks of non-SDA entitlements were being sold almost as soon as they came available in what was a seller’s market.
“We’d love to have some really meaty lots come forward – any chunks over 50-plus would be handy and over 100 would be heaven.”
SDA entitlements were selling for the same money as non-SDA, at about £200/unit.
Mr Potter said demand was “fantastic” but acknowledged that some people were choosing to walk away rather than paying £200/unit.
However, his expectation was that prices would stay strong for the next couple of weeks.
George King, of Wiltshire-based Webb-Paton, said he had several people on his books looking for blocks of more than 100 entitlements.
“I’ve had a few more come in over the weekend, so I have got about 200 on the books to sell at the moment of various sizes,” he said.
Mr King had been selling at about £220/unit, but he anticipated that values would probably drop back to about £200-210/unit this week, depending on block sizes.
