Tag Archives: finance
UK housing supply crisis deepens as new stock falls to post economic downturn low
The total stock of property for sale in the UK has fallen to a new post economic crisis low with 45% fewer properties for sale than in November 2007, according to the latest index report. It also shows that average annual asking price growth in England and Wales increased further to 7.3%, driven by lack of supply with the shortage affecting all regions but particularly London, the South East and the East of England. Consequently, prices in these regions continue to rise at an alarming rate, well ahead of the national average. Over the last 12 months, asking prices in London, the East and South East of England have risen by 12.5%, 9.8% and 9.4% respectively. Meanwhile, the number of properties coming on to the market in the same regions is down by 15%, 13% and 10% respectively. However it is not a uniform picture, according to the asking price index from Home.co.uk. Prices have slid in the North East and Yorkshire during the last month. Asking prices were down 0.1% month on month in Yorkshire and Humberside and down 0.5% in the North East where prices are also stagnant compared to a year ago. Indeed, as a whole prices in the northern regions and Wales continue to stagnate. Annualised price changes for the North East, North West and Yorkshire of just 0.0%, 1.2% and 1.9% respectively indicate that demand levels remain depressed relative to the South. Welsh property has fared a little better with home prices rising by 2.7% over the last year, but still a long way behind the mix-adjusted average price rise for England and Wales of 7.3%. Overall, the current mix-adjusted average asking price for England and Wales is now 25.8% higher than it was in November 2010. Further upward pressure on this headline figure will come from London, the East and South East of England over the next year. North of the border, Scottish home prices are rising more quickly, up 4.7% over the last year and 6.4% since November 2010. Sellers there are obviously patient, as the typical time on market is 114 days, 16 days longer than the figure for England and Wales. The Aberdeen property market has been adversely affected by plunging oil and gas prices, and properties on the market there have been piling up. Meanwhile, the Edinburgh market is experiencing a boom, with prices driven up 13% over the last year and supply falling away. Further south, the northern English regions show relatively poor home price growth. Of those, the North East property market has suffered the most over the last five years. Prices are falling in many towns in the region, such as Billingham, mainly due to the downturn in the petrochemical industries. Crime and joblessness continue to adversely affect many of the larger urban areas. However, pockets of significant growth do exist, such as prosperous market towns like Yarm. The South East continues to show massive price growth and… Continue reading
Buy to let mortgage lending still the star in the UK housing market
Mortgage lending to first time buyers in the UK increased by volume month on month and on an annual basis in September, the latest data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders shows. However, in contrast, lending to people moving home saw a dip in September compared to August, but grew by volume and by value compared to a year ago while home owner remortgage activity rebounded after a dip in August to increased levels in September both compared to a month ago and the same time last year. The buy to let sector continues to grow and saw year on year increases by volume and by value in both buy to let house purchase and buy to let remortgage sectors. The CML data also shows that first time buyers increased in number of loans advanced and amount borrowed both in comparison to quarter two and the third quarter last year and home mover lending saw a similar trend to first time buyers but the percentage increases by volume and by value were higher. Home owner remortgage activity saw an increase compared to the second quarter of the year, but a more substantial increase compared to the third quarter 2014 while buy to let saw large quarter on quarter and year on year increases by number of loans and amount borrowed. Paul Smee, director general of the CML, pointed out that the mortgage market had a slow start to the year. ‘This quarter shows it is now firmly on an upward trajectory. With competitive rates and high levels of product choice currently available, alongside generally improving economic conditions, we expect this to continue as we head into the New Year,’ he explained. ‘Buy to let continues its growth this period, but at 18% of new lending in September remains the fourth largest lending type behind first time buyers, home movers and remortgage. There were five times as many house purchase loans to home-owners as buy to let landlords in September, and the growth in buy to let lending largely continues to reflect its more belated recovery from recession,’ he added. According to Rishi Passi, chief executive officer of Oblix Capital, on the one hand Help to Buy has driven up borrowing by first time buyers both in volume and value and on the other, there is little sign that impending buy to let tax restrictions are dissuading landlords from expanding their portfolios. ‘Meanwhile cheap money is allowing lenders to offer historically attractive rates to the market and as a consequence lenders are enjoying their best spell since 2008, enticing first time buyers and developers alike to move and borrow,’ he said. Rob Weaver, director of investments at property crowdfunding platform Property Partner, the growth in buy to let lending underlines the continued confidence UK investors have in this asset class. ‘As an asset class buy to let is also… Continue reading
House prices in England and Wales see fastest annual growth for six months
The annual rate of house price growth across England and Wales increased to 5.2% in October, the fastest increase for six months, according to the latest property index. Average property prices increased 0.9% or £2,500 last month, equal to £80 a day, to £288,421 and it is the tenth record high recorded this year, the data from the Your Move Reed Rains index shows. The price growth is once again being driven by London, as values in the city increased £24,636 in the last year, the index also shows. Excluding London and the South East of England takes the annual price growth to 3.9%. As far as sales are concerned it was the strongest October since 2007, with the north seeing biggest sales boost due to better levels of supply on the market. But sales of homes worth over £1.5 million were down 35% year on year with this sector still being affected by the Stamp Duty change from almost a year ago. East Anglia saw the strongest year on year rise of any region, with growth of 6.2%, taking the average price for a property in the area to £241,284, Richard Sexton, director of e.surv chartered surveyors pointed out. He also pointed out that in London house prices are recovering from the more subdued growth seen during the second half of 2014. Annually, there has been a 4.4% price increase in the capital, with property values rising by an average of £24,636. However, most of the recent price increases have emanated from the lower rungs of the market with Harrow, Newham and Barking and Dagenham showing the strongest annual growth. ‘These rapid rises are currently outweighing the decline at the top of the market, carrying average values higher. While many commentators are forecasting significant house price growth in London and the UK in the coming years, these need to be viewed in historical context and we’re unlikely to see a return to the unsustainable rises of the past decade,’ said Sexton. ‘Most current predictions are still a slowdown from the past five years of growth, and overall since September 2005 average prices across the country have soared 43.5%, while average property values in London have more than doubled, jumping 104%,’ he added. He also explained that properties worth over £1.5 million have been hit with a stamp duty increase, currently set at 12% of the portion of the property’s value above £1.5 million, up from 5% previously. ‘As a result, sales of homes worth more than £1.5 million have fallen by 35% in the third quarter compared to a year ago. This tax has really put the shackles on the prime market in the capital, as three quarters of these sales since January 2014 took place in London,’ said Sexton. ‘The implications can be seen in the 12.6% annual drop in prices in Kensington and Chelsea, while prices in the City of Westminster have also fallen, 5.5%… Continue reading
