UPDATE 2-Bovis says no stability yet in UK housing market

* Private legal completions up 18 percent in H1 to 738

* Sees writedowns on small number of sites

* Eyeing land acquisitions

* Sees possible further pressure on prices in H2

* Shares down 0.3 percent (Adds details, CEO, analyst comment, share price)

By Lorraine Turner

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Britain's Bovis Homes Group Plc (BVS.L) said reservations had risen in the first half but echoed comments from peers that house buying activity remained capped by a tight mortgage market, dashing hopes of a near-term sector recovery.

"Activity has to increase before we can start to think about the housing market in general becoming a more stable place," Bovis Chief Executive David Ritchie told Reuters on Friday.

Net private reservations jumped 92 percent to 901 in the six months to end June compared with the previous year and private completions rose 18 percent, though this was offset by a decline in social housing completions, Bovis said.