A FAMILY business with a reputation for building quality homes in villages around the Vale of York has sold a quarter of its annual sales target in one month.

York-based house builder Hogg The Builder, which was established more than 35 years ago, has enjoyed its most successful November ever.

Bosses attribute rising sales success and continuing high demand to buyers and sellers being more realistic about house prices - a sign which they believe reflects that the market is picking up.

Sales and marketing manager Michael Flude said: "House prices rose to unsustainably high levels a couple of years ago and the market has now returned to a more realistic level.

"The problem is that price expectations of homeowners remained high and some people had difficulty selling their existing property, which prevented them from making their next move."

Mike Hogg founded Hogg the Builders at Strensall 37 years ago, and was widely regarded as one of York's most successful businessmen.

With a vision "to build houses that people enjoy living in", he went on to act as consultant to the company before his death in January this year, at the age of 60, with Geoff Scott as managing director.

The company, whose new homes are identified with a frieze of a hog, usually on chimney stack or gable, is responsible for building thousands of houses in the York area.

Its philosophy is never to build two houses exactly the same - a policy which appears to be paying off in the high level of house sales.

Hogg the Builder also focuses on small developments while attention to detail is a key aspect of homes including features such as oak flooring and electronic garage doors.

"Traditionally sales tend to slow in November as people start to focus on Christmas rather than house buying," said Mr Flude.

"But these figures show that house buyers are keen to get moving and can settle into their new home by Christmas, even if they buy in November.

"If sales continue as they are, 2006 should produce promising results, but we are not resting on our laurels, as we are continuing to develop in new locations throughout the York and North Yorkshire areas including Cawood, Cliffe, Kirby Grindalythe in Ryedale, Camblesforth, Barmby-on-the-Marsh and the Holgate and Strensall areas of York."

Updated: 10:45 Wednesday, December 07, 2005