Bankers reaping huge bonuses once more have helped to inject some new life into the prime London property market, with house values rising 4 per cent in the past month, according to reports. Meanwhile, the rest of the country has seen continued falls in house prices, with consultancy firm Capital Economics predicting a 20 per [...]

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The number of new homes completed in England last year fell to its lowest level since 1923, recently-released government figures showed. Just 102,570 properties were built in 2010, 13 per cent less than in the previous 12 months, and the lowest level during peacetime since 1923, according to Communities and Local Government. There were double [...]

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After a sustained absence, mortgages with loan-to-value rates as high as 90 per cent are making a comeback, according to Moneyfacts.  The company reports that in February this year, there are 214 deals offering 90 per cent LTV on the market alongside 560 offering 80 per cent.  A year ago the relative figures were 144 [...]

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Housing minister Grant Shapps has announced that he’s looking for a new age of house price stability, following some years of volatility. Shapps suggests that encouraging developers to build more homes is one way to promote stability, following the huge increases in value since the late 1990s. “This government absolutely supports peoples’ aspirations to own [...]

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With some economists predicting interest rates rising to 5 per cent within a couple of years, many borrowers are beginning to feel a prickle of sweat when they consider their mortgage options. The current bank rate of 0.5 per cent had held for many months now, leaving borrowers with more spare cash than for several [...]

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By common consent, spring is much the best time to sell your property, and by extension, it’s also a great time to buy a property because there will probably be more on the market. So here are some tips to help you prepare for a quick and profitable house sale: 1. Plan ahead for getting [...]

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Private landlords across the UK report that they expect rents to rise strongly during 2011, with London-based owners slightly more positive than those elsewhere in the country. Lettings specialist Young London, managed by Neil Young, conducted the survey and found that 88 per cent of London landlords anticipate rental rises, along with 77 per cent [...]

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For all the coalition government’s pleas to banks and building societies to start lending again, there remains an atmosphere of caution among lenders, exacerbated by the prospect of public sector cuts and redundancies to come. Mortgage broker Andrew Montlake of Coreco has some sage advice for home buyers, to help persuade reluctant lenders to advance [...]

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This weekend – Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 February – the Listed Property Show at Olympia in West London will show visitors how to mould their coving, dry out their period flooring and what to do about the wildlife that has made its home in their home. Now in its fifth year, The Listed Property [...]

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The government’s spending review, along with sliding house prices, has dampened demand for mortgages to its lowest level since the third quarter of 2008 – which was the lowest rating on record. The Bank of England’s analysis of credit conditions for households and businesses placed demand for home loans at -41.5 on a scale of [...]

Continue reading " Mortgage Demand Falls Off A Cliff "