UK house prices rise 0.5 per cent in October, but longer-term trend is slowing October 30, 2014 Are house prices rocketing or is their growth slowing? It's getting confusing – according to Nationwide, the unpredictable UK housing market rose in October, with prices up 0.5 per cent month on month, after they fell 0.1 per cent in September. But the annual figure, a more reliable measure, slowed to nine per cent. As [...]
Put your house on it …price boom ends October 8, 2014 HOUSE price growth slowed in September, an influential report from Halifax showed yesterday, adding to evidence that activity in the UK’s rampant property market was moderating. Prices rose 0.6 per cent last month and 9.6 per cent in the past year. But this still-substantial growth marks a continued slowdown from the annual growth of 10.2 [...]
Property in London: Is it a safe asset? October 7, 2014 Base rate hikes and a strong pound will dent prices, says Yogi Dewan THE EASY money in property markets was made a long time ago. That said, real estate remains the ultimate safe haven for many investors, as they consider it to be a better alternative to investing in global equities, government bonds or other [...]
Will the Bank’s new powers to intervene in the housing market help prevent boom and bust? October 2, 2014 Rob Wood, chief UK economist at Berenberg Bank, says Yes. The Bank of England has a powerful set of weapons in its armoury to smooth out the cycles in the housing market. It can restrict the amount someone can borrow relative to their income, and the Bank has now asked formally for new powers to [...]
Mortgage lending falls in August for the third month in a row September 29, 2014 The number of mortgages approved fell to 64,212 in August, down from 66,100 in July, data published by the Bank of England this morning showed. The figure fell below analysts' expectations of 65,000, suggesting the housing market is cooling faster than thought. Does this mean Bank of England governor Mark Carney's Mortgage Market Review is [...]
No more UK house price bubble? Mortgage approvals fall to a 12-month low in August September 23, 2014 This could be the end of the house-buying frenzy of early 2014. New mortgage approvals hit their lowest since September last year in August, figures by the British Banking Association showed today, with just 41,588 new mortgages approved during the month, down from 42,715 in July, and 14.1 per cent lower than January's 76-month high [...]
London rent prices hit record high as new mortgage loans keep climbing September 18, 2014 London rents hit a record high of £1,161 on average last month, according to figures out today from LSL Property Services. Monthly rents in the capital climbed three per cent on the year – an increase which was ahead of wages, intensifying the pressure on tenants. Across England and Wales, the average rent increased by 2.4 [...]
Cheaper houses, more expensive holidays: Five of the most important changes to the UK if Scotland votes for independence September 16, 2014 With the Scottish independence referendum just two days away, a question on many people's minds is what will happen to their finances if Scotland does decide to leave. Here are some of the ways in which those left in Britain will feel the effects. House price fall Online estate agency Emoov has [...]
The financial A to Z of Scottish independence – CNBC Comment September 15, 2014 A new, independent Scotland might flummox a foreign visitor. So it’s lucky this financial A to Z has turned up – even if some say it’s a parody of the Better Together campaign. A: Alex – Scotland’s official unit of currency, though largely superseded by an informal bartering system, where one barrel of oil [...]
Mumsnet: the final frontier for Scottish independence debate, as Alistair Darling and Alex Salmond go head to head today September 10, 2014 Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling are poised for their final public debate before voters decide the fate of Scotland on September 18 – this time on web forum Mumsnet. The First Minister of Scotland and the leader of the Better Together campaign will draw swords on a live stream from 1:45pm today. A [...]