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 A: Alex – Scotland’s official unit of currency, though largely superseded by an informal bartering system, where one barrel of oil [...]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 [...]
Foxton’s prepares for housing market slowdown in London August 27, 2014 Investors fled Foxton’s shares yesterday after the London property agent warned that it expected a slowdown in the housing market in the second half of the year. The company, which floated in September last year, said measures introduced by the Bank of England to temper mortgage lending and the expectation of a hike in interest [...]
Mortgage lending surges again despite housing market wobble August 20, 2014 MORTGAGE lending hit its highest level in six years in July, industry data showed yesterday, dampening worries that the housing market was slowing down. Banks and building societies gave out £19.1bn in home loans last month, up 15 per cent compared with July 2013. That figure is seven per cent higher than the level just one [...]
Mortgage lending rises 15pc to its highest level since 2008 August 20, 2014 Gross mortgage lending rose to £19.1bn in July, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said today – the highest monthly figure since August 2008, when it stood at £19.3bn. The figure rose 17 per cent from £16.7bn in July 2013, and seven per cent from June's £17.9bn. The number of property transactions also increased, by [...]
Inflation drops to 1. 6 per cent as summer sales drive prices down August 19, 2014 Official figures published this morning showed the consumer prices index, the government's pet measure of inflation, fell to 1.6 per cent in the year to July, down from 1.9 per cent in June and way below the 1.8 per cent expected by analysts. The fall was mainly down to clothing prices, which dropped 5.7 per [...]