<p>Barratt has announced it has begun to open new sites on a "selective and highly controlled basis where justified by local market conditions."</p> <br><p>In a trading statement today (July 9) chief executive Mark Clare said that the early signs of market stability reported in May are continuing, underpinned by limited stock and improved customer sentiment.</p> <br><p>""We have seen higher sales rates, lower cancellations and prices levelling" said Clare. </p> <br><p>However he warned that mortgage availability was still a problem. "We are not however going to see a sustained improvement in trading conditions until the availability of of mortgage finance, particulalrly in the higher loan to value segment, recovers," he said.</p> <br><p>In the year to June 30 Barratt completed 13,202 homes and reduced net debt by approximately £370 million to about £1.28 billion.</p>