<p>New private reservations on Barratt sites each week were up 28.6% in the six months to June 2009 compared to the same period last year.</p> <p>And Barratt says that in the 11 weeks since the end of its financial year this increase in reservations has surged to 53% with prices ahead of expectations. Booked sales totalled £733 million compared with £464 million at the end June.</p> <p>However the housebuilder's latest results, covering the traumatic period last Autumn, show completions down 29% in the year to 13,202 and revenue down 35.7% to £2,285.2 million.</p> <p>The Group made a loss before tax of £678.9 million including a £499.5 million writedown on its land, however this was almost all taken in the first half and Barratt said market stability suggested that no further write downs would be required.</p> <p>Barratt said it had missed some land opportunities in recent months because of a lack of cash and £200 million of the cash it proposed to raise through a new rights issue and placing would be for land, with the company looking to maintain a three and a half year land bank.</p> <p> </p>