Housebuying demand falls as Iran war spikes mortgage rates March 30, 2026 Housebuying demand has fallen as Brits take a “wait and see” approach after the Iran war spiked mortgage rates and prompted lenders to take hundreds of deals off the market. Buyer enquiries were 13 per cent lower in March than a year ago, as mortgage rates climbed by an average of 0.4 per cent over [...]
London house prices drop again as market faces fresh headwinds March 25, 2026 House prices in London have fallen for the sixth consecutive month, as the capital’s property market continues to struggle compared to the rest of the country. The average house price in the capital fell by 1.7 per cent in the year to January, up from the 1.2 per cent year-on-year fall in December, according to [...]
Iran war ‘heavily’ affecting property confidence, developer says March 13, 2026 Property developer Berkeley Group has said the Iran war is “weighing heavily” on market confidence and could push up inflation. The FTSE 100 firm told shareholders on Friday: “The emerging situation in the Middle East is weighing heavily on risk sentiment and we await to see the impact of this on the market.” “While reaffirming [...]
Savills shares slide as Middle East war shakes property market March 12, 2026 Shares in property giant Savills slid eight per cent as the Iran war shakes the confidence of the UK’s property market. The FTSE 250 firm’s share price fell by 7.98 per cent on Thursday to 922p, leaving the stock down six per cent in the year so far. Adam Vettesse, market analyst at eToro said [...]
Barclays joins run of mortgage rate hikes in blow to borrowers March 9, 2026 Barclays has become the latest in a flurry of mortgage lenders to hike their rates amid mounting fears the Bank of England will keep the base interest rates higher for longer following the war in the Middle East. The blue-chip banking giant has slapped a 0.1 per cent increase on rates on a selection of [...]
Small house building firms in ‘existential crisis’ as sales rates plummet March 9, 2026 Falling sales are pushing small and medium-sized (SME) house builders into an “existential crisis” that could threaten the government’s house building ambitions. SME house builders have seen average sales drop by 41 per cent between 2021 and 2025, according to a report by estate agents Savills for the Land, Planning and Development Federation (LPDF). The [...]
‘And so it begins’ – Mortgage lenders kick rates back up amid Middle East crisis March 5, 2026 A number of mortgage lenders are kicking the their rates back up, with more expected to follow, as market conditions remain volatile due to the unfolding crisis in the Middle East. HSBC UK has said it will increase some of its mortgage rates for first-time buyers, movers and re-mortgagers and the UK’s largest building society, [...]
The FCA rule change everyone missed that could upend the mortgage market February 19, 2026 The FCA has set out a new, more pragmatic approach to affordability assessments that could open up the market, increasing competition and benefiting consumers and lenders alike, says Fernando Zandona Mortgages, and who provides them, have hardly changed in decades. The mortgage market remains one of the few sectors of UK financial services that seems [...]
Ask the expert: Should I pay into an ISA, pension or overpay my mortgage? January 28, 2026 Fidelity personal finance specialist Marianna Hunt helps a saver decide where to place their capital as interest rates fall. Q: In light of current interest rate expectations, is it better to pay down my mortgage, pay into my pension or invest in an ISA? I have a £350,000 property with a £200,000 mortgage at 4 [...]
Monzo snaps up UK mortgage broker in first major acquisition December 16, 2025 UK fintech Monzo has made its first major acquisition with a deal to snap up a digital mortgage broker in a bid bulk up its “all-in-one” superapp. The digital bank announced on Friday it had snapped up Habito, a fintech firm which uses tech to accelerate the home-buying process with free online advice. The deal [...]