Berkeley is expected to post a nearly 40 percent rise in pre-tax profits to 730 million pounds in the 12 months to the end of April, according to a Thomson Reuters poll of analysts.

The firm said reservations, when buyers pay a fee to take properties off the market, fell 16 percent between August and February after Britain's referendum in June but picked up over the last two months.

It said prices were holding up and remained above levels the business had planned for.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas, Editing by Paul Sandle)